DANIEL Brooks tees off in Denmark today knowing he’s nearing his last chance to earn a spot on next season’s European Tour.

The 25-year-old from Basildon is coming to the end of his best-ever season, but if he fails to make up four places in the rankings in the next nine days he’ll miss out on his target of a place on next season’s premier tour.

The Mill Hill Golf Club member, who also practices at Langdon Hills, was in Denmark yesterday as he prepares to tee off this morning at the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Challenge.

His dad Mick said: “I spoke to him last night, but there’s no point in me saying what he needs to do because he knows himself what is needed. But he’s playing well and goes out there with good thoughts.

“He knows he needs to start finishing things off on the greens, making birdies, and turning par finishes into 15 or 20 under to get right up that leader board.

“His coach said he’d need about 12,000 euros from his last three tournaments to get his place on the European Tour next year, and he’s still on target to do that.”

Brooks is currently 24th in the Challenge Tour money list rankings and 3,708 euros behind 20th-placed Daniel Vancsik.

Argentina’s Vancsik moved into 20th – the final place guaranteed a spot on next season’s European Tour – with a tied 15th, 2,320 euros haul at last week’s Czech Challenge Open.

Brooks also made the cut in Dritec but failed to capitalise on it as his tied 55th, 560 euros return has left him in 24th and in need of a very high finish at one of the Challenge tour’s final two events.

Mick said that Daniel’s first aim is to get a top 20 place, but that he’d also ideally like to make the top 10 because that would give him a place on all events on the European Tour next year, and not just selected invitations.

Thorpe Hall pro Matt Southgate is also playing at the event; he starts the tournament in 91st place in the rankings with prize money of 15,624 euros.

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