Chelmsford's Brett Taylor is eyeing the Srixon PGA Play-Offs as a key to unlock his dreams of playing on the European Tour.
Taylor tees up in the 36-hole end of season showdown at Royal Liverpool on October 21-22, aiming to land the honour as the PGA No1 player of 2008 and secure a bounty of European Tour riches in the process.
The 33-year-old is already guaranteed a place in the flagship BMW PGA Championship after topping the East Region Order of Merit, but victory at the 2006 Open venue will also secure him invites to four other European Tour tournaments - including the lucrative Celtic Manor Wales Open and Barclays Scottish Open - as well as number of Challenge Tour events.
A total of 21 players will battle it over two days, the field comprising the top three players from the PGA's seven regions - with Mark Hooper (Rayleigh Golf Range) and Jason Levermore (Clacton) joining Taylor as the East Region's representatives.
Taylor, who is also attempting to get on the European Tour after via qualifying school having finished his three-year PGA training programme, admitted he was relishing the Play-Offs having already achieved the aim of winning the Order of Merit and securing a return to Wentworth next year.
"It's great to be in the Play-Offs and to have the opportunity of securing more European Tour starts. It's a great extra at the end of the year," he said.
"I was aware of that when I was playing in final qualifying event, it was in the back of my mind, but I was only trying to think about what was happening on the day and winning the Order of Merit.
"I had to focus on that because it was so close that had someone else performed well I wouldn't have won it and got into the PGA Championship.
"I wanted to concentrate on that one event and do well. I had to make it count as my focus had been on the OOM title, especially as it gave me a realistic chance of reaching the PGA Championship.
"I missed the PGA Assistants' Championship, which I love playing in, for the OOM and it proved the right decision for me in the end."
The focus is now set on the two-day battle at Royal Liverpool and Taylor admits that given the calibre of the field predicting the outcome is far from easy.
"There are only 21 players so you never know what's going to happen," he said.
"Whoever qualifies for the Play-Offs has obviously had a good season and all you can do when you're there is play well yourself and ignore what the others are doing."
15 October, 2008