The 21-year-old English prodigy, from Chelmsford, flashed a glimpse of his precocious talent at the 2016 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, finishing in a tie for 45th on five-under – a creditable achievement which took his confidence to a new level, and mentally prepared him for one of the biggest decisions of his career.

“I was waiting for the right time, a time when you feel you are ready to take the next step in your career. Playing among the game’s elite at the Classic gave me the confidence that I can compete at the highest level and that’s where I want to be,” said Allan.

“You can’t put a price on what you learn from these world-class events; it’s an opportunity money can’t buy. I feel like my game is good enough to be out there. It’s just a matter of taking advantage of opportunities.

“I’ve enjoyed every bit of my amateur career, and winning the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit title for two years in a row was certainly the high point of my career and motivated me to work harder on my game.”

Allan joins a long list of players who have taken the MENA Golf Tour route to launch their careers in the paid ranks.

Included in the list are the likes of 2015 MENA Golf Tour champion Thriston Lawrence, Tyler Hogarty of South Africa, Ahmed Marjan of Morocco, Ahmed Al Musharrekh of the UAE and the English duo of Max Williams and James Yeomans to name a few rising stars.