MONZA, ITALY: There's not just one Australian player named Jason making a name for himself on golf's world stage.
While Jason Day was storming his way towards a fifth PGA Tour triumph this season, 26-year-old Jason Scrivener had the Australian flag prominent at the Italian Open in Monza.
Scrivener and his caddie headed to the famed and adjacent Monza Grand Prix circuit before a final-round 70 gave a third consecutive top-20 European Tour finish.
Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg edged German Martin Kaymer in a playoff after each finished 19 under in regulation, four clear of Scrivener in T14.
The 26-year-old Capetown-born Scrivener, who moved with his family from Zimbabwe to Perth when he was 10, is competing in his 18th event this season, and now at 139th on the Race to Dubai, could very well lock in full Tour membership for 2016, thus avoiding a second straight journey to the European Q-school.
Scrivener, who has declared he's “Aussie to the core”, last year finished 15th in the ISPS Handa Perth International and, with that form packed into his suitcase, travelled the next week to Spain to secure his European Tour card.
However after an indifferent first half of 2015 the 2007 Australian junior champion has made the cut in five of his past six events, including top-20s in his past two tournaments – the Russian Open (T14) and last week's KLM Open (T18).
“I have learned a lot this first year on Tour, not just on the golf course but getting used to a new lifestyle travelling the world, staying in hotels and managing yourself, so it's all very much a steep learning curve this first year,” he said.
“And getting familiar with this change in my life is starting to reflect in my performances and while I have not been playing fantastic, I have been making cuts and that always helps.
“Of course, the big goal is to try and secure my Tour card for next year and avoid having to go back to the Q-school but I have not been trying to think about it too much because if I were to secure conditional status for 2016, then I would be happy.
“So from where I was a few weeks ago on the Race to Dubai to where I am now, anything is fine with me."
Scrivener is coached by David Milne, who’s based at renowned Perth club Joondalup, but grew up and played much of his golf at Mandurah.
And Scrivener felt right at home on the tight tree-lined Milan course as it reminds him much of his beloved Mandurah.
“Mandurah is short and tight and very tree-lined, so as soon as I saw this course I thought I could do well and so far, it all seems to be going well,” he added.
Helping Scrivener settle into life on Tour is Adelaide’s Wade Ormsby who also has shown a welcome return to form, and with the race-car-loving golfer having jumped the start on Scrivener.
“Wade went for a test drive around Monza the other day after his round, but then I am only getting to get in a few laps this afternoon,” he said with a smile.
“Actually, it was Wade who persuaded me to go for a test drive, but then Wade has been great in helping me settle in along with Marcus (Fraser).”