The Midland's newly-crowned No 1 professional heads to Royal Liverpool next week desperate to secure another shot at the European Tour's big guns.
Wellingborough-attached Simon Lilly will stake his claim at the 36-hole Srixon PGA Play-Offs having qualified for the end-of-season climax for the second successive year.
Last year he finished second, which earned him invites to three of the European Tour's biggest tournaments in the UK.
Lilly, who snatched the Midland Order of Merit title from long-time leader Cameron Clark on the sixth and final event, is already guaranteed entry to the European Tour's flagship tournament - the BMW PGA Championship - but wants to top that up with the prospect of four other events including the lucrative Barclays Scottish Open and Celtic Manor Wales Open.
However, the 31-year-old has an additional motive to take on Europe's best after admitting he didn't make the most of his chances in 2008.
"I was very disappointed with what I did in the events I played," he said.
"I had a good opportunity to really make an impression and I didn't, however I have learned from those events this year."
Lilly will look to use that experience when he tees off in the £15,000 Srixon PGA Play-Offs on Tuesday October 21, which brings together a high-class field of 21 players comprising the top three from each of the PGA's seven regions.
Each of them will be battling it out for the honour of being the PGA's best player as well as chasing the invites to a number of European Tour and Challenge Tour events.
The tournament is now its third year and Lilly, who will be joined fellow Midlanders Clark (Moor Hall) and Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), admitted it's a great way to end the season.
"I think it's a great idea, especially with just the top two finishers qualifying for the European Tour spots," he said.
"I'm looking forward to going back and giving it another go and trying to add to my BMW PGA Championship place, which I have to fall back on.
"With the play-offs you just have to go for it as it's a shoot-out but you can't afford a mistake or you're just out of it given the standard of the field.
"I know the players there will be very good but I'm not really worried about them. I know if I play well then I have a chance of finishing in the top two."
However, Lilly admits that the links course, which he has never played before, leaves the tournament wide open.
"Links courses are not my favourite and can be a bit of a lottery half the time depending on what the wind's doing," he said.
14 October, 2008