Debutant Rashid Khan ready to tee off at European Masters

Indian golfer Rashid Khan, who is all set to make his debut at the Omega European Masters, starting here on Thursday, said that his aim is to finish inside the top-five on the Order of Merit list this season.
"It's a really exciting period for me and I'm going to play another four more tournaments after this week. I want to finish inside the top-five on the Order of Merit and that's my goal for this season," said Rashid.
Admitting that his life completely changed since the path-breaking Asian Tour win at the SAIL-SBI Open earlier this year, Rashid said, "I'm really excited as this is my first time in Switzerland and playing the Omega European Masters.

"My life has really changed since I won the Sail Open, which I didn't expect to win. And now I'm playing in a co-sanctioned event with the European Tour."
23-year-old Rashid, an Asian Games team silver medallist like Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar, though four years apart, earned his right to be part of the strong Asian Tour field at this week's Swiss showpiece after he won the SAIL-SBI Open on home soil in March.
He would be among the game's elite at the scenic Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, which is set amidst the picturesque Swiss Alps.

Having withstood several setbacks in his career, it will be his hunger and appetite for success that could eventually see the Indian create an impact this week.

"My career has not been smooth sailing but I was always determined to bounce back and do my best in my next tournament," said Rashid.
He swallowed the bitter pill on numerous occasions most notably when he missed out on a top-40 finish by two shots at the Asian Tour Qualifying School last year and was again left to rue further blows in his career when he was pipped to the title on several occasions last season.
The Omega European Masters is the only event to be jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour on European soil since 2009 and marks the start of the second half of the Asian Tour 2014 season.