UKKO Tour Pro Matthew Cryer gives us an update of his recent form on the Challenge Tour. After shooting a -10 in La Gomera off the coast of Tenerife Matt heads to Austria for his next tournament with a onwards and upwards attitude!

“After the first three challenge tour events in India, Colombia and Kenya, the tour returned to Europe for 5 months straight. The first of these events was in Pleneuf, France. I was looking to consolidate a solid start in the early season.

Making the cut on +3 by a shot with rounds of 73 and 70, I struggled in rd 3 and ended up shooting 80. After some solid work on the range on Saturday afternoon I bounced back on Sunday with 68 which was joint best rd of the day in some tough conditions, finishing up 37th.

After a week off challenge tour we moved to Belgium, a new course this year just outside Brussels. A beautiful tree lined course called Ravenstein. A first rd of 70, -1, put me in reasonable position. However, after going out in +4 in rd 2, I had my work cut out to make the cut and despite making birdie on 14 and giving myself great chances on the final 4 holes I couldn’t convert the putts and ended up missing the cut by 1 shot.

After a reflective weekend off I then travelled to La Gomera, just off Tenerife. This event saw my best finish last season so had some good memories. Shooting 69 & 66 leaving me -6 and making the cut by 4 put me in a nice position going into the weekend. 70 & 69 at the weekend left me on -10 in 26th position.

Next stop Austria, onwards and upwards!!!!”

UKKO Tour Ambassador James Busby (pictured wearing Midnight Blue “Maddox” Polo) has booked his place on next season’s Challenge Tour after winning the biggest event of the 2011 PGA EuroPro Tour season, the 888poker.com Tour Championships at the Intercontinental Mar Menor Golf Resort in Murcia, Spain.

James’s ability, hard work and determination have paid off as he won the £15,000 first prize and finishes 2nd on the EuroPro order of merit… which gives him automatic promotion to the European Challenge Tour for 2012.

Congratualtions from all of us at UKKO, we look forward to seeing you compete at the next level along with the other UKKO Challenge Tour Ambassadors Matt Cryer, Jack Doherty and Matthew Southgate.

You can see coverage of James’s last tournament – the 888Poker.com Tour Championships in Mar Menor, Spain – on Sky:

26th October 2011:

• 10am – Sky Sports 2
• 2pm – Sky Sports 2
• 8pm – Sky Sports 4
• 2.30am – Sky Sports 3

» Tour Championship Report

Matthew Southgate, currently lying 19th in the order of Merit, also started well with a 4-under par 67.

Jack Doherty also went under par with a round of 70.

Good luck to all 3 for the reminder of the tournament!