After carrying the bag of fellow Professional Andrew Dodt to a near victory at the BMW PGA Championship Dimi Papadatos is back in more familiar surrounds as he tees up in the Swiss Challenge this week.

Papadatos, who won for the second time this season on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia at the TX Civil and Logistics WA PGA a fortnight ago, is one of six Australians in the field for the event on Europe’s secondary Challenge Tour.

The 24-year-old also claimed the Oates Vic Open earlier this year, a victory he admitted was inspired by a reality check in Europe last year.

Speaking after the second round at 13^th Beach, Papadatos admitted his confidence was rattled by his experiences in 2016 but that it had been a ‘wake up call’.

“I got beaten down for about five months over there (Europe) and played terrible, cost me a lot of money but it was a good wake-up call that I needed,” he said before hoisting the trophy two days later.

It’s a mentally stronger – and better credentialed – Papadatos who will tackle the European circuit this year and it would be no surprise to see him contend this week.

Also worth watching this week is South Australia’s Nick Cullen whose Sunday play at last week’s Czech Challenge was nothing short of brilliant.

The 2014 Australian Masters champion rocketed into the top-10 with the second best score of the day, his 6-under 66 no doubt giving him plenty of confidence ahead of this week’s event.

Ryan McCarthy, Jordan Zunic, Daniel Gaunt and Ben Eccles round out the Australian challenge in an event that is yet to be won by an Australian in 14 stagings.

Young guns Eccles and Zunic have shown glimpses of their best over the past two weeks and both will be looking to build on some solid momentum.

Conversely, Ryan McCarthy will be trying to find something in his game after a difficult start to his season.

The 27-year-old is yet to make a cut in his five Challenge Tour starts though has proved himself a capable player with multiple top-10’s in two seasons on the PGA TOUR LatinoAmerica.