Dave Coupland refuses to be complacent after career-best finish at British Masters

Purse secondary for golfer after European Tour success at the Belfry...
Coupland tees off on day four. Photo: Getty ImagesCoupland tees off on day four. Photo: Getty Images
Coupland tees off on day four. Photo: Getty Images

Dave Coupland may have scooped a cool €104,108.41 at the Betfred British Masters this weekend, but there was only one thing on his mind as he came off the course.

"The first thing I looked at was the Order of Merit position," the 35-year-old said after finishing tied for third at the Belfry, his focus on retaining his European Tour card rather than checking the bank balance.

"The money is nice, but it's secondary for me.

"It means you can relax a little bit more at home and it's a very nice feeling, but you could quite easily get complacent and say 'that's me for the year'. That can't be the case at all.

"You've got the be switched on. It might sound a bit blase, but you've got to park it (the money) to one side and move on, but continue with the positive vibes."

The Bostonian, who is attached to Woodhall Spa GC, finished his four rounds 12 under, aided by some superb putting.

Birdies on the final three holes on Friday set him up nicely for Saturday's final round, where and eagle-birdie finish saw him climb from eighth to within just one shot of Guido Migliozzi and play-off winner Richard Bland.

It is Coupland's best result since joining the European Tour in December 2019, but how does it compare to the feelings of other career highs, including winning the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit, qualifying for the European Tour and The Open as an amateur?

"Obviously, it's the highest level and it's what you play for all your career, but the feelings I had were just the same internally," he added.

"Everything was exactly the same as winning on EuroPro. I was probably more nervous at Q School going down the final hole than on the 18th there - but that's probably a sign you're doing the right things mentally."

Coupland admits to preferring those trickier courses and arrived at the Belfry with a new gameplan after three tournaments in the Canary Islands where, despite playing well, he didn't get the results he wanted on the 'birdie-fest' resort courses.

"I approached it in a different way this week strategy-wise," Coupland added.

"I didn't really go for any flags and adopted this new strategy formula. But basically it's just common sense and that seemed to suit the course and my game.

"I'm really pleased with how I played. I just thought to myself I could do something really good."

And Coupland wasn't the only one pleased with the outcome judging by the pings on his mobile phone as he travelled home with partner Katy.

"I got picked up from the Belfry by the other half and Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Whatsapp were going wild," he said.

"I was still reply and reading late into Saturday night.

"It was great to hear after the 18 months everyone's had, it's given me a lift and, from the messages I've had, a boost for other people as well."

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