Dave Coupland plans to return to DP World Tour in Kenya

Dave Coupland is hoping for a straightforward year on the DP World Tour.

His first year on what was formerly known as the European Tour saw a number of competitions cancelled due to Covid, while the 2021 campaign was played out in the shadow of the pandemic.

But the 35-year-old Bostonian, who is attached to Woodhall Spa GC, believes the golfers and organisers will have learned valuable lessons from the past two years.

“Hopefully travel restrictions will behave,” he said.

“I think the Tour have plans and contingencies in place now after showing they could do it last year.

“Hopefully, we won’t have too much of a hindrance travel wise and we’ll be able to crack on, but you never know.”

Coupland is yet to appear on the Tour this year, but is targeting the Magical Kenya Open, which begins on March 3, for his return.

He opted not to take part in November’s Joburg Open due to the Omicron variant being on the rise in South Africa at the time.

“I was about to get married and, let’s just say, one way or another, I don’t think I would have been getting married if I’d gone to South Africa,” he added.