Pressure is off and Lee reaps reward already

Team Hydro member Gavin Dear reflects on a positive start to the new initiative

IT'S been nearly three months now since the launch of Team Scottish Hydro and the response has been very positive. I think it has been well received by the golfing public and, obviously, the players.

It's the sort of thing that has been needed in Scotland for a number of years to help the Challenge Tour players move up to the next level.

When I was playing last year on the Alps Tour, it was very evident that a number of players were receiving Federation help and it's great a number of Scots are now in a similar position.

Another great aspect is that, despite it being the first year, as a player involved in the Team, I haven't seen any teething problems. Everything has worked perfectly and that's no doubt due to a lot of hard work behind the scenes.

Being part of such a set up gives you freedom to play. For instance, I am now starting to spend more of my winters abroad to gain better practice weather and facilities and I can now plan ahead and get the best deals.

For me, due to the category I have on the Challenge Tour, it has also given me access to some invites for events. It's really about security and I think in golf when players tend to have that security there's a little less pressure and they play better.

Take last week's Allianz Challenge at Disneyland Paris - the start of a prolonged run of events on the circuit. Craig Lee tied for sixth while Jamie McLeary, another of the Team members, led at the halfway stage following a second-round 63.

My goal this season is a top-45 finish on the Challenge Tour. I am most likely going to not get into the two biggest events - Madeira and Saint Omer - which makes life a little more difficult.

What I learned last year is that you really need to just focus on your own game. Hopefully the results will come from that and a nice finishing position in the Order of Merit.

I won the Tikida Open on the EPD Tour in April. I played two events down in Morocco because early on in the year the Challenge Tour is very stop-start and I don't think that helps me. I prefer to play a lot and get into a good rythmn.

I chose the EPD as I have spent a lot of time practising in Morocco this winter and specifically at where the Tikida Open was held.

It was nice to win and play consistently for two tournaments and hopefully that winter practice will help over the coming weeks on the Challenge Tour.