<p>The Island's Paul McBride in action earlier this season. Picture: MENA Golf Tour</p>
Former Walker Cup and Wake Forest star Paul McBride has made an encouraging start to the season on the MENA Tour, currently sitting 25th on the Order of Merit after back-to-back impressive performances.
The Dubliner opened his campaign with a tied-ninth finish at the Al Houra Classic in Tangier before going one better the following week, securing a solo third-place finish at the Hilton Classic.
Despite the solid run of form, McBride finds himself in a state of limbo due to a spate of cancellations on the circuit.
“The next few were in Oman, but they cancelled all their events,” McBride explained. “So we just have to wait here and see what's going to happen.”
While the scheduling uncertainty is frustrating, McBride is taking plenty of positives from his play, particularly with the flat stick after a winter of hard work.
“I am happy,” he said. “I didn't go away and practice at all this winter; I just practised at home and indoors. So I was pleasantly surprised with how my game was in the real world, I suppose.
“Very happy with my putting in particular. Kind of did a lot of work over the winter with Gordon Smyth up in Slieve Russell. It's a good setup, and I just feel like it was nice. And then the events were cancelled, so it's a bit of a wait again.”
With no status on the Challenge Tour, McBride is hoping he might get some invitations to play on the Challenge Tour but they are scarce with so many Irish players in the same boat.
“I've no status on the Challenge Tour, unfortunately. I have no idea really,” he admitted. “So we will have to wait and see.”
For a player finding his rhythm, the waiting game is the last thing he needs.
Article Link: McBride sees momentum halted by Middle East cancellations - News - Irish Golf Desk