After two whirlwind weeks it will be a confident Ryan McCarthy who returns to the secondary Challenge Tour this week for the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge.

Playing his first year in Europe, McCarthy exceeded expectations by earning a spot in The 146^th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale via final qualifying then followed up by heading to the final round of last week’s European Open in contention for the title.

While he missed the cut at The Open and faded in the final round in Germany, McCarthy has proved to himself he has the game to play at the next level and will now be set for a big second half of the Challenge Tour season.

With 15 tournaments gone on the 2017 calendar and 13 remaining there is plenty of time for the Tasmanian to climb the Order of Merit, a top-15 finish and a card for the 2018 European Tour the goal.

McCarthy currently sits 98^th in the season long Road to Oman standings and if he can overcome the inevitable fatigue this week has the chance to begin making his move in Finland.

Three Australians and one New Zealander take their place in the field this week, Nick Cullen looking to continue his recent good run and continue to move up the Road to Oman.

Cullen is currently 28^th on the list but is playing well entering a stretch of tournaments where he performed well last year.

Ben Eccles has been less than his best recently after a solid start to the season but is a better player than his results so far suggest and could contend any given week.

New Zealand’s Matthew Perry will also tee up this week, the Hamilton native making his first start for the season courtesy of a sponsor’s invitation.