Lasse Jensen sits just two places outside the crucial top 15 in the European Challenge Tour Rankings, so this week’s National Bank of Oman Golf Classic presents a huge opportunity to secure European Tour status and he is hoping the recent successes of his fellow Danes on the world stage can inspire him to achieve that goal.
Thorbjørn Ølesen’s victory at the ISPS HANDA Perth International last week was paired with Lucas Bjerregaard - whose runner-up finish in Oman last year was crucial in his rise to The European Tour - claiming a second successive top five finish which meant he retained his card for The 2015 Race to Dubai.
Add that to Thomas Bjørn’s continued success which culminated in a third Ryder Cup appearance at Gleneagles last month, a maiden European Tour victory for Jensen’s close friend and former Challenge Tour graduate Morten Ørum Madsen at the beginning of this season and the impressive inaugural edition of the Made in Denmark tournament, and it’s plain to see golf in his home country is in rude health.
Jensen feels confident that it is now only a matter of time before he returns to join that elevated company on The European Tour and a big performance in this week’s crucial penultimate event could secure that dream.
“Before going into these final four events my goal was just to get one big result,” said the 30 year old. “One big result would be enough and I knew that if I finished top 20 in all four it would not be enough.
“These are big weeks with big money and I know if I don’t get that one big result people around me will be getting big results and overtaking me.
“I’m really looking forward to these last two events. I played this event and I really like the course, the cities are a little more Western than the previous two events in China too, so I feel a little more comfortable.
“So far I haven’t been able to say ‘this is my week’, I’ve just been showing up and hoping it will happen for me. I have my friend coming to caddie for me for the final two and it’s always nice to have a mate on the bag so it will be good to have his support.
“There are so many Danes up there on The European Tour and pushing on now so that’s obviously an inspiration for the rest of us. With Thorbjørn winning in Perth, Lucas finishing with two top fives to keep his card, Morten winning and Thomas Bjørn still doing his stuff, it’s great. I miss playing with those guys so I want to be up there with them!”
Having started this week with a fishing trip in the Gulf of Oman with his compatriots Jeppe Huldahl and Jeff Winther, Jensen feels he is more relaxed than if he were just trying to hang on to his place inside the top 15 and knows he has to go for it in the next two weeks if he is to reel in that one crucial result.
“Of course, I’m one of those many players where the last two tournaments are crucial but the fact that I’m in 17th spot maybe takes the pressure off a little too,” he said.
“It means I’m not there trying to protect my place and playing defensively. If you tell your brain you need something a bit special, sometimes it wakes up and gets you going.
“But whatever happens, I started this season with no category, but I’ve gone on to have a really steady year, missing only three cuts, so even if I finish 17th it’s not a big deal for me.
“I’ve changed coach recently back to my national coach, who works with Morten and Lucas, and the progress we’ve made is phenomenal. That’s why I’m calm now, I feel like I’m a better player and I’m closer than ever to where I want to be so I will get there eventually.”
