Determined to deliver

Matt Cort is returning to Wentworth for a fourth time in the hunt for an ever-elusive place in the final stages of the BMW PGA Championship.

Three shots were all that separated the Beedles Lake man from a place in the last two rounds this time last year in a state of affairs that was striking in its familiarity. The 41 year old had flirted with the latter stages of the tournament on each of his last three visits to Surrey.

The Leicester-based PGA Professional has been The PGA’s nearly man since first appearing in the European Tour’s flagship event back in 2012, and he is determined to ensure that now comes to an end.

His city has become a byword for sporting success over the past few months and, in a bid to follow suit, Cort’s preparations for Wentworth have been meticulous, including the acquisition of a conditioning coach to give himself the best possible chance of success.

He won at the prestigious Cornish Festival amidst fine early season form and plans for the run up to the tournament include a four round warm up event in the shape of the PGA EuroPro Tour’s PDC Golf Championship at Frilford Heath.

“I’ve always put in decent performances at Wentworth and each time I’ve had a chance of making it to the weekend, but just never quite managed it,” Cort reflected.

“This year the cut in itself isn’t a target for me. I want to look a little bit higher than that. At the start of the week I want to be looking at the top 10 and challenging myself to get in there.

“That would be a massive achievement and even if you narrowly miss out on that and still play well the cut itself becomes irrelevant because you’ll make it anyway.

“Ian Ellis, a good friend of mine, won top PGA pro last year and it would be nice if I could be in that position on the Sunday.

“I feel like I’ve prepared as well as I can, now it’s about going out there and performing.”

**Mart Cort in action at Wentworth last year.

Cort is now well-versed in the challenges faced when approaching Wentworth week – this will be his fourth appearance in the last five years at the European Tour’s home.

The long par-fours, which can reach anywhere up to 470 yards, present a potential hazard for a man who admits he is not the longest hitter, while the excitement and tension on the first tee present a uniquely nerve-wracking atmosphere for the players to contend with.

“You panic!” he joked when asked about what it’s like to step onto the first tee in the shadow of Wentworth’s famous clubhouse.

“But seriously you do get nervous when you’re stood there with crowds all around you watching your every move.

 “You’ve got friends and family there too and you want to go out there and do well for them.

“You can’t think about all that too much, though. What I find it’s best to do is enjoy it and take it all in – it’s a really good experience and one that everyone wants to be involved with.”

Cort, winner of the PGA in England (Midlands) Order of Merit last year, will be one of 10 PGA Professionals competing at Wentworth, with each having gained entry through the PGA Play-Offs last  December.

And he acknowledged that going up against the Tour pros will be tough for each of the qualifiers who prospered on the Mediterranean coast.

“We’ve had plenty of time to think about this since qualifying,” he explained. “Although in many ways that is a good thing as it gives us more time to prepare.

“The one big thing you notice about those Tour pros is that they’re halfway through their season – we’re just starting ours. That can affect things, although I’m hoping the fact I’ve had that chance to do plenty of preparation work and play in quite a few events over the last few weeks will help.

“Things like club selection and having the ability to keep it on the fairways become even more important during a Tour event. You have to be right on top of your game.”