Sometimes you do not need to worry about how you graduated to the European Tour, all you need to care about is that you made it.
After two wins in his rookie Challenge Tour season, Liam Johnston completed his three-year objective in nine months.
The Scotsman only made five Challenge Tour cuts during his maiden campaign, but two wins were enough to see him pick up a 2019 European Tour card.
Johnston only joined the paid ranks at the end of the 2017 campaign and began 2018 playing via invites.
After taking a share of 17thplace in his maiden Challenge Tour start in Turkey, he followed that up with a disappointing missed cut in Portugal. However, he did not need to rely on invites following his success in the sun at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9.
With it being his third event on Europe’s top developmental circuit, the 25 year old decided to share an apartment with long-time friend Grant Forrest for the week, but little did they know they would be battling it out for the title.
Johnston never went behind in the final of the match play stage of the innovative event, and when the pair left the eighth green the man from Dumfries was 1 up with one to play. A comfortable two-putt to halve the hole on the ninth did the job for Johnston as he sealed his debut Challenge Tour victory.
Two made cuts in his next three Challenge Tour starts saw him continue his rise on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, but the progress took a significant halt as he missed five consecutive cuts before the Rolex Trophy.
With guaranteed ranking points in the lucrative 40-man field event, Johnston took a share of 33rdplace, leaving him a lot of work to do if he was to reach the glorious heights of the European Tour.
However, little did he know what was about to happen in Kazakhstan.
Late to register for the event resulted in a fine, but he did not need to worry about his wallet taking a hit after carding rounds of 66-67-64-67 to sign for the lowest total of the season to clinch his second Challenge Tour title.
That victory meant even more to the Scot as it all-but confirmed his European Tour status for 2019.
With confidence back in his swing and two wins in the bag, Johnston capped off his rookie season with a tied 17thresult at the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final to graduate to the European Tour.
Sometimes its not about how you do it, but the result at the end – Liam Johnston, a 2018 Challenge Tour graduate.
