Scott Drummond’’s sensational victory in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club is further, incontestable evidence that the European Challenge Tour is European golf’’s most fertile breeding ground.
The Scotsman, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday, captured the 50th Volvo PGA Championship title with a record equaling 19 under par total that included a fearless and unforgettable final round 64. A major influence in his victory was the five year education he experienced on the Challenge Tour – one of the toughest schools in the game.
Drummond won his European Tour card by finishing seventh on the 2003 Challenge Tour Rankings after a productive season saw him take the Open de Toulouse title as well as registering a further seven top ten finishes.
His win at Wentworth Club was the 115th official European Tour victory to be recorded by a former Challenge Tour player since 1991 – averaging over eight a year, including this season, which has already yielded three tournaments to former Challenge Tour players.
This year, Sweden’’s Christopher Hanell (Madeira Island Open), Marcel Siem of Germany (dunhill championship) and now Drummond have taken the number of players to have won those 115 titles to 61. They join an illustrious list of names that have honed their skills on the Challenge Tour before excelling on Europe’’s biggest stage.
Denmark’’s Thomas Björn, New Zealand’’s Michael Campbell, Sweden’’s Fredrik Jacobsen and Englishmen Ian Poulter and Justin Rose are among the brightest stars to have graced the Challenge Tour, and give an indication of the standards being achieved and maintained on Europe’’s second Tour.
“I think the Challenge Tour is the best way onto The European Tour,” says Drummond, who secured a winner’’s cheque for €615,000 on the golden anniversary of The European Tour’’s flagship event and the 1000th tournament on The European Tour International Schedule.
“It’’s the best way to learn about the ins and outs of traveling around Europe from week to week and the standards out here are very high, especially with weekend cuts from 156 to 60 players – that definitely toughens you up.”
Drummond has proved he is tough enough, after seeing off the challenge of a world class field that included Ernie Els and Vijay Singh – respectively ranked as the third and second best players on the planet.
There can be absolutely no arguments over Drummond’’s achievement, in the same way that there can be no arguments over the Challenge Tour’’s contribution to the European game when it continues to consistently produce players of Drummond’’s calibre.
