Marc Warren eyes strong finish to season after getting in Madrid mix

Marc Warren is no longer looking over his shoulder as the DP World Tour season reaches the business end and, all of a sudden, has an onwards and upwards attitude.

The four-time tour winner was sitting 109th in the DP World Tour Rankings heading into last week’s acciona Open de España in Madrid.

That meant he had little wriggle room in the battle to finish inside the top 117, which is the projected cut-off to retain a coveted card this time around.

But, thanks to a top-ten finish behind Jon Rahm as the home favourite landed the title for a third time, Warren leapt 16 spots in the standings and is now feeling stress-free heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.

Marc Warren in action during last week's acciona Open de Espana presented by Madrid at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, where he finished joint-eighth. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

“Overall, obviously a very good week,” said the 41-year-old of posting a 14-under-par total that included two 65s at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid as he recorded his second top-ten effort of the season.

“I was 109th in the Race to Dubai going into last week and knowing the next four weeks was going to be important to get some results to at the very least secure playing rights for next year.

“Obviously I should have done that last week, though I was pretty frustrated on Sunday as I can’t play much better than that, to be honest. I literally holed one putt from about 12 foot on the ninth but, apart from that, I didn’t hole a thing.

“Yeah, frustrating but also a lot of pride with how I played. Drove the ball very well, iron play was great, so I’ve got to take confidence from that moving forward.”

This week’s assignment is the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Valderrama, where Warren is among 11 Scots teeing up in a field headed by defending champion and US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick.

“I was talking a lot about patience with Stan, who was caddying for me last week, and I thought we did a really good job in that respect on Sunday. It’s pretty easy to start going at pins when you feel you are not making enough birdies,” added Warren.

“But, when the greens are getting firm and the pins are tucked, it is pretty easy to get frustrated and, in the past, I would have done that, but I hit a lot of good shots on Sunday, especially on the back nine.

“I pretty much hit everything where I wanted it to go, so I will take a lot of confidence from that tee to green having come in under a bit of pressure and I am really looking forward to this week now.”

After Valderrama, the Mallorca Open completes a three-event Spanish Swing before the Portugal Masters is then followed by the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

“I will just play right through now and hopefully try and get a start in the Nedbank - that’s the goal now moving forward,” declared Warren. “I think if my form can continue like last week, I should be okay.”