Dimitrios Papadatos is determined to earn an instant upgrade to the lucrative European Tour with two more Challenge Tour victories rather than tread the tightrope of promotion at the end of the year.

Currently 12th on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah standings, Papadatos will be elevated to the top tier in Europe if he can stay within the top 15 at season’s end but would rather win his way there in more emphatic fashion, starting this week at the Italian Challenge in Sardinia.

A winner at the Portugal Open in May, Papadatos has played the past three weeks in Scotland, Denmark and Prague to solidify his place near the top 10 on the moneylist but knows two more wins would deliver the European Tour card that he craves.

“You’re definitely conscious of it and it’s nice to be inside that top 15, that’s where you want to finish,” Papadatos said.

“But my focus every week is go out and try and have a win. I’d like to wrap up my card with a couple more wins as soon as possible.

“I’m not trying to just plug away from week to week, I’m trying to get the wins as quick as I can.

“I feel like I’m playing all right and want to have a few more top finishes but I know there’s still a long way to go as well.

“There are usually not many guys who are secure before the start of the finals series so I know it will be more important as to how I’m playing at the end of the year compared to where I am right now.

“But if I’m able to have a couple of good finishes in the next couple of months I’ll be able to give myself a lot better opportunity to take the pressure off at the end of the year.”

Outside of his win in Portugal, Papadatos has earned E18,102 in six Challenge Tour events; in four starts on the main European Tour he has banked in excess of E57,000.

But unlike two years ago when he required larger cash injections in order to simply survive on tour, the 27-year-old Central Coast native is turning down opportunities on the European Tour in order to maintain his place near the top of the Challenge Tour.

“They’re worth a lot more money than the Challenge Tour and what we’re used to in Aus but at the same time my priority is to try and get my full card and give myself a chance to play in the Rolex Series next year on the main tour,” he said.

“We work so hard to give ourselves the best opportunity and then you’re in events and turning them down to play Challenge Tour events.

“You could be playing alongside the likes of Sergio (Garcia) and Jon Rahm at the BMW International on a fantastic course and instead you’re sitting in in the hire car in Scotland in three degrees freezing and wondering what you’re doing playing for a tenth of the money.

“You’re trying to make a living and set yourself up but at the same time it’s a much better opportunity for world ranking points and to play the Rolex Series next year.

“If I play well enough to get in the top 15 then the rewards are definitely there.”

Two other Australians are playing in the Italian Challenge alongside Papadatos, Nick Cullen and Jack Munro.