DUBAI // Andrew Johnston walked out of the scorers’ office at Al Badia Golf Club with a smile as bright as the late Saturday afternoon Dubai sun.
The Englishman was perfectly entitled to look so pleased with himself, given he had just carded a top 10 at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final, a result that carried even greater reward than the €9,741 (Dh44,561) it guaranteed.
Finishing tied-ninth, Johnston did enough to clinch top spot on European golf’s second tier, becoming the champion golfer on the Challenge Tour.
It has a nice ring to it. “Yeah, awesome,” Johnston said, beaming. “It’s been a great finish to the year and so good to finish No 1.”
John McAuley says hello to Benjamin Hebert.
That the season’s title was almost wrapped up before this week’s finale did not dull the achievement. Only a bizarre series of results would have allowed any one of the four guys directly below Johnston in the rankings to pip him to the crown, but he still performed under pressure.
A final-round 72 secured the tied-ninth, a position Johnston has bettered eight times in 2014. There have been two victories in there as well, swelling his yearly winnings to €190,856.
Only Edoardo Molinari, the Italian with two wins on the main circuit, has banked more in a single Challenge Tour season.
It marks a stark contrast to last year when, coming off an injury-interrupted six months, Johnston struggled so badly that he eventually ranked 68th on tour.
A winter spent practising in Portugal and with a personal trainer sharpened both his game and frame.
Honed and toned, his confidence grew stronger, too.
“It was just one frustrating year, one hard battle,” he said. “I learnt a lot from it, though: to dig deep every week. Now I’m more assured of my game, trust it a lot more.”
Johnston plans to celebrate with a “good party”, then will settle down again to prepare for life on the European Tour.
It will be his second stint after he earned promotion in 2012, when a tied-33rd at the South African Open represented his best display.
His new-found faith in his ability suggests next season could be more successful.
So, with playing rights confirmed, what is he looking forward to most?
“Generally, just everything,” Johnston said.
“All the tournaments, getting out there and playing them.
“You have to believe you can win, put yourself in the position to give yourself a chance, and see what happens.”
Johnston will be joined next year by Jerome Lando Casanova, albeit surprisingly.
The Frenchman began the week 38th in the rankings, but a final-round 69 at Al Badia ensured he finished runner-up to tournament winner and compatriot Benjamin Hebert. In the process, it catapulted Casanova inside the top 15 in the seasonal race, which grants him European Tour status for 2015.
“I can’t believe it,” he said, clearly emotional.
“It’s the first time in my career that I’m so happy to finish second.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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