Shoebury pro golfer Richard McEvoy is keeping up his fitness LA style in a bid to make the breakthrough on to the full European tour next year.
Fighting fit -- Richard McEvoy at LA Fitness. Picture: DAVE HENDERSON FEHWZ1
McEvoy, 23, has just finished his first year in the paid ranks after ending his amateur career in superb style by being a member of the first ever British Walker Cup team to retain the trophy on American soil.
The likeable former Thorpe Hall amateur admits that it's been a good, if very tough, first season as a pro and added: "It's been a great experience.
"I've done well in winning two tournaments on the secondary EuroPro Tour in my first season and now I badly want to make the break through to playing regularly on the full European circuit."
To do that, McEvoy needs to safely negotiate a tough qualifying competition over four rounds in Spain, which began yesterday.
If he does that, he'll be in the final qualifying event, over six rounds, also in Seve Ballesteros's home country.
At that stage, golfers will have something like a one in six chance of picking up a much coveted card allowing them to play alongside the world stars next season.
McEvoy is hopeful that his contract with sports firm Nike will be renewed and also now has backing from LA Fitness, who have a newly refurbished centre at Bournes Green in Thorpe Bay.
He said: "It's recognised these days that pro golf is about a lot more than just practising your swing.
"General fitness plays a major part and I'm grateful to LA Fitness for them allowing me to use their equipment to help me keep up the levels of fitness I require to play tournament golf.
"That side of things and sports psychology are increasingly becoming an important part of the tournament scene.
"If I can qualify from this week I know things will be really tough in the six-round final qualifier.
"By that stage you'll have some real quality and established players who have just missed out on keeping their cards desperately battling to remain on the tour.
"If I am still involved late on a little bit of extra fitness might be vital for me and I want to take advantage of any possible bonus that I can."
Published Friday November 8, 2002
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