CHARLESTOWN professional Jake Higginbottom hopes to use a course and tournament that he knows very well to get in tune before travelling halfway around to the world to play on two courses he hasn't seen let alone stepped foot on.
At stake is Higginbottom's place on the increasingly lucrative Asian Tour.
Higginbotton is part of a strong local contingent teeing up in the $11,000 Waratah Pro-am on Wednesday.
The recently turned 29-year-old shot six under to win the event in 2018 and worked in the club's pro shop when professional golf was halted by COVID-19 in 2020-21.
"It is a course I know well and have won at before," Higginbottom said. "It was a tough couple of years we had during COVID and it was nice to be able to work at Waratah. I was very appreciative.
"If the weather is good it normally takes five or six under to win. Hopefully I can hit a bit of form."
Higginbottom leaves for Morocco on Sunday ahead of the back-to-back Asian Tour events. He tees up in the $US1.5 million International Series Morocco next Thursday. He then moves to Egypt for another International Series event with the same prizemoney.
"I have never been to either place," Higginbottom said. "There used to be a European Tour event in Morocco and a couple of the boys said it was a nice resort-style course. Basically green grass and desert. I don't think there has ever been a [major tour] tournament in Egypt."
The North African leg will be crucial to Higginbottom's chances of retaining his Asian Tour card.
He is currently 103rd with $US25,913 in the order of merit and needs to break into the top 60 to extend his stay for a 10th year. Kosuke Hamamoto is currently in 60th spot with $US58,174. Four events remain.
"Obviously, I have an idea of where I am and where I need to be," Higginbottom said. "Playing well solves everything.
"The game is OK, but I just keep continually finishing mid-pack, which is not quite good enough. Everything hasn't clicked all at once. I have had weeks where I have hit it well and putted poor. I have had weeks where I have hit it poor and putted well.
"I have a little bit of work to do, but I have been getting in some good practice in the past few weeks. Hopefully I can take some form up there."
Higginbottom will be accompanied by his father Bruce who will caddy.
The Waratah Pro-am wasn't held last year due to COVID-19. Nathan Green won it 2020 with a course-record equalling six-under.
He is back to defend the title and will be joined by European based duo Dimi Papadatos and Blake Windred.
"COVID disrupted everything last year," Waratah general manager Jonathan Towns said. "Even though we are still getting the wet weather, it is nice to get events up and running again."
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