General / Mike Norman / 20 December 2011 /

Mike Norman takes a look at some young golfers who have very exciting futures ahead of them on the European Tour, and who could provide backers with a big price winner in 2012.

As preparation for playing on the European Tour there's arguably no greater experience than plying your trade on the Challenge Tour, European golf's second tier.

In recent years players such as Rhys Davies, Richie Ramsay, Nicolas Colsaerts, David Horsey, Alexander Noren, and Joost Luiten have all graduated from the Challenge Tour and claimed wins - and in some cases multiple wins - on the main tour.

And not content with being a multiple winner, Italian Edoardo Molinari has made a Ryder Cup team having been a Challenge Tour player in 2009, whilst German Martin Kaymer - who finished fourth on the 2006 Challenge Tour money list - has since recorded 10 European Tour wins, won a Major championship, and briefly held the position of number one golfer in the world.

Of course, some youngsters - Rory McIlroy, Matteo Manassero and Tom Lewis to name but three - simply have or had too much ability to have held a full Challenge Tour card, but for those young golfers not so naturally gifted, playing on golf's second tier is a perfect way to enhance your game.

Below is my list of five players to watch out for on the European Tour in 2012 having all played on the Challenge Tour either last year or the year before.

Lorenzo Gagli
Gagli has fast become one of my favourite players but it's not from the heart that I make him top of my five to follow list. This 26-year-old Italian finished as far down as 17th on the Challenge Tour rankings in 2010 but that was enough to secure his playing privileges on the main tour in 2011, and he took the step up in grade completely in his stride.

Gagli recorded no fewer than six top-five finishes in 2011, including a second place finish at the Madrid Masters and a third place finish at the prestigious Scottish Open in July. But it was his astonishing performance at the Johnnie Walker Championship that will live long in my memory as the most frustrating golf bet I've ever had. After getting to the lead on seven under par early in round two, Gagli then hit an incredible 29 consecutive Greens in Regulation, and at least two-putted every single one of them.

The Italian's ball-striking is lovely to watch at times and he'll give himself stacks of birdie opportunities in 2012. He's a winner waiting to happen in my eyes, but as with every golfer, he'll need to putt well to get his nose in front.

Tommy Fleetwood
I'm really looking forward to seeing Fleetwood on the European Tour in 2012 as he strikes me as a fast-improving player with a great head on his shoulders. He won just one tournament on the Challenge Tour in 2011 but finished the year as the leading money earner thanks to an extremely consistent campaign. And he also showed that he doesn't look out of place on the main tour when - in late September - he recorded a top 10 finish at the Austrian Golf Open and a quite brilliant top five finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in a field that contained Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel.

Andrea Pavan
Pavan has made giant strides in the game of golf since turning professional in 2010. Remarkably, he didn't even have a full Challenge Tour card last year and relied on sponsor's invitations to get into most tournaments, but he ended the year as runner-up on the money list behind Fleetwood thanks to two victories. I won't confess to knowing a great deal about this 21-year-old Italian but he won't be the first player to make an instant impact on the main tour, especially given his two performances on the European Tour last season, a 23rd place finish in the Italian Open and an excellent seventh place finish at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Thorbjorn Olesen
Like Gagli, Olesen is a 2010 Challenge Tour graduate; in fact he finished third on the money list that year, 14 places ahead of Gagli. And there were signs in 2011 that the 21-year-old Dane was much the better player of the two, recording excellent second place finishes at both the Italian Open and the Open de France. But as the year went on, with his playing privileges secured for 2012, Olesen understandably ran out of gas. He remains a very exciting prospect, and with the experience of last year now in the memory bank look for him to make a winning breakthrough next season.

Bernd Wiesberger
Whilst most Austrian golf fans are pinning their hopes on the highly-promising amateur Matthias Schwab for the future, it was hard not to be impressed by fellow Austrian Wiesberger last year. Having failed to keep his main tour card in 2009 the 26-year-old was back on the Challenge Tour in 2010 where he recorded two victories and finished the year fifth on the money list. He started 2011 very slowly, but from late July onwards he was arguably one of the most eye-catching youngsters on tour, recording four top-five finishes including a fourth at the high-quality Irish Open and a second at the Johnnie Walker Championship. This late season form augers very well for 2012.

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