Italian Lorenzo Gagli is hoping to reap the benefits of a more relaxed approach to his game ahead of the Turkish Airlines Challenge at Gloria Golf Club and Resort.
The 30 year old is currently 11th in the 2016 Road to Oman Rankings after a promising start to the season, and he is targeting a good week in Belek as he bids to strengthen his place in the top 15, who will earn European Tour cards at the end of the season.
Gagli, who finished fourth in last week’s Challenge de Madrid and fifth in the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Presented by Hassan Allam Properties, returns to familiar surroundings at Gloria Golf Club, where he finished second in last year’s edition of the tournament – albeit on a different course.
“I’m a bit more relaxed than I was last year,” he said. “Last year I was thinking more about my swing and the game. I’m not changing my swing at all and I’m thinking a lot less about it.
“I’m very happy with my start to the year, so hopefully my form will continue and it will be great to keep going like this.
“I have happy memories of this place, but we played another course last year. Unfortunately, it’s not the same course but I’m happy to be here and to have the opportunity to play on the New Course.”
A three-time winner on the Alps Tour, Gagli hopes to build on last month’s top five finishes in Spain and Egypt.
“I’ve played great golf over the last few weeks,” he said. “I had more of a chance to win in Egypt, even though I finished fifth, and felt as though I played much better there.
“In Madrid, I finished fourth but didn’t have much chance of winning. I was always two or three shots behind and didn’t have many chances for birdies on the last day.
“The third round in the wind was really tough, but I thought that was my best round of the tournament.”
The Italian is joined at Gloria Golf Club by 11 of the top 15 in the Road to Oman Rankings, with Scotsman Duncan Stewart heading the field following his maiden Challenge Tour victory in Madrid.
Road to Oman Rankings leader Sebastian Soderberg is also in the field and showing good form again after a top 15 finish in last week’s Challenge de Madrid, while Englishman Jordan Smith is aiming for his second win of the year after his maiden victory in Egypt.
2014 Turkish Airlines Challenge winner Oliver Farr will also tee-off in a bid to make it three Welsh victories in a row after Rhys Davies’ success in last year’s tournament.
Young hotshots Pep Angles and Romain Langasque will be hoping to add to their eye-catching recent performances, Angles having shone in his home event in Madrid last week and Frenchman Langasque securing top five finishes in the first two events of the season, either side of playing the Masters Tournament as reigning Amateur Champion.
