Dave saves best for last

Yesterday the golfer, who is attached to Woodhall Spa GC, flew out to Spain to compete in round two of qualifying school at the Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Alicante.

The four-day tournament will begin on Friday.

And Coupland tees off full of confidence having ended the EuroPro Tour campaign in top spot.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” he said following the Tour Championships at Almeria’s Desert Springs Resort.

“That was the aim I went out with, to finish top of the Order of Merit. I think I was the most consistent player on the tour this year, and the most consistent player normally finishes on top.”

He shot rounds of 68, 65 and 69 on the par-72 course to end the three-day tournament on -14.

His £8,450 prizemoney sees him overtake previous leader Mark Young.

Steve Surrey also finished on -14 while Nick McCarthy won with -17.

While Coupland has his sights set on the European Tour, he has a promotion to the Challenge Tour to fall back on if he doesn’t earn a place at Europe’s top table.

He attributes much of his recent success to coach Nick Huby and fitness coach Sam Vickers, who is based in Lincoln but spends a day a week at Woodhall Spa GC.