Dylan Frittelli is ready to take on the challenges of the new season after a series of impressive displays towards the business end of the Race to Dubai, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Fresh off the back of a second top-five finish in three weeks, Frittelli is ready to launch himself into 2018’s Race to Dubai as the calendar year winds down, not that the European Tour rookie has any plans of slowing down.
Staying in contention for the majority of Sunday’s final round at the DP World Tour Championship, he played the final two holes in one-over-par to drop into a share of fourth; two shots behind world No 4 Jon Rahm.
‘It was tons of fun,’ Frittelli told Compleat Golfer from Hong Kong, where he is preparing for the UBS Hong Kong Open; the first event of the 2018 season.
‘I was a little nervous in the beginning, but the save on one and the two birdies that followed helped me settle down for a long, tough day. I really enjoy playing with Justin Rose, and he was also playing well, so that helped me get comfortable and pushed me along too on the front nine.
‘I was proud of I how handled the situation on the last four or five holes. It got really tough out there coming down the stretch with everything on the line, and with the wind picking up it was another factor to an already difficult task.’
Frittelli’s result in Dubai helped him end the 2017 season with five top-10s to go with his breakthrough win at the Lyoness Open and taking his earnings to €1 602 951; second only to Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Branden Grace from a South African perspective.
‘All in all, it was a fun week. Finishing fourth at the Tour championships is obviously a very good result when you sit back and process it. And with the new season starting this week, all that is done and it’s time to push on. I’m very proud of my rookie year and was happy to finish the “year” with two big results, first in Turkey then in Dubai.’
The 27-year-old South African has long been touted as the country’s ‘next big thing’ and is now in a position to make good on those calls after a number of confidence-boosting results in the Race to Dubai’s final series.
‘The end of the Race to Dubai confirmed for me that I am good enough to compete with the best in the world, and in pressure scenarios. Rose is playing some of the best golf of his career and is probably on form one of the best on the planet right now. If I can hang with him then it bodes well for my career.
‘I love playing in the big time and I’ve gained some good experience in tough conditions. Hopefully, I get that really big win soon.’
Frittelli has confirmed his entrance for the Mauritius Open next week, and January’s SA Open at Glendower where he will challenge top-ranked local hopes Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel for the national title.
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
