Shiv Kapur shifts focus to the European Challenge Tour

Shiv Kapur, who has had mixed results this season on the main European Tour, has decided to focus on the European Challenge Tour for the next few months this year.

After winning the season-opening Gujarat Kensville Challenge, Kapur will now figure in the Telenet Trophy at Royal Waterloo Golf Club, near Brussels.

At the Gujarat Kensville Challenge, his only Challenge Tour start this season, he finished two shots clear of Scotsman Andrew McArthur to clinch the first European title of his career.

But in the European Tour events he had mixed results, finishing tied 22nd at Malaysian Open and Tied 31st at Ballantines, but missed the cut at Avantha Masters and Madeira Open.

Kapur may not be able to get a start in some of the bigger European Tour events over the next few weeks and hence the decision to have a go at the Challenge Tour, where the 31 year old currently lies sixth in the Challenge Tour Rankings.

After having been a member of The European Tour for seven consecutive years before losing his playing rights for the 2013 season, he is now keen on giving himself an opportunity to bounce back.

"I guess Ahmedabad made me think about what I really want to do right now. To be honest, I wasn't planning to play on the Challenge Tour before then but then I got the win and I put myself in a good position," he said.

"I reassessed my goals after that win. It was obviously a really satisfying win and it really put me on the right path early in the season. I have made up my mind that I am going to give the Challenge Tour priority and see how it goes over the next few months.

"I couldn't have asked for more, winning in my first event. I am obviously trying to get my card back on The European Tour and I started in the right direction and now I need to put the pedal to the metal," Kapur added.

Kapur said he was feeling good after beginning the season with a win.

"It's a good feeling when you start the season on a high note. It takes a bit of the pressure off. I have had a good few months recently, my form has been really good. I'm just hoping that I can take that on into the European summer.

"The European conditions are different, you have to deal with cold and wind and things like that so I'll have to battle that but at the end of the day you just have to play well.

"I'll just have to settle down now and I'm basing myself in Europe now until September, in Milan, so I am looking forward to it," he said.

Kapur is joined by the three other winners on the Challenge Tour this year -- Barclays Kenya Open champion Jordi Garcia Pinto, Challenge de Espana winner François Calmels, a former Telenet Trophy champion, and Brooks Koepka, who claimed his second title at the Montecchia Golf Open.

Former European Tour winners in the field include Nick Dougherty, Bradley Dredge and Daniel Vancsik, while Marco Crespi returns to defend the title he claimed last year at Ravenstein Royal Golf Club.