—Rickie Fowler earning his first tour win in three years —Alex Fitzpatrick putting the doubters to rest after they questioned his two-plus year exemption for winning the Zurich Classic with his brother —Nicolai Hojgaard becoming the first Danish man to win on the PGA Tour

All great stories, yes, but to regret their nonfulfillment is to sell Reitan short: he’s got a pretty good story, too.

The Norwegian has been quietly creeping up on the top levels of the game, earning his PGA Tour card for 2026 by capturing two DP World Tour events last year, and then hanging around the top half of leaderboards in America through the spring. In the last month, a T-10 at the Texas Open and a T-14 in Doral spoke to his potential.

At the Cadillac Championship a week ago, he made it into the field on Thursday afternoon, when Jake Knapp withdrew with a thumb injury. It felt so improbable to both him and his caddie Tim Poyser that Poyser flew back to Scotland. He had to hurry back on the first available flight, arriving on Friday to loop for the man that eventually finished inside the top 15. A double bogey on the last hole in that event seemed to doom him for this week’s Truist, but in the arcane formulas that determine fields at signature events, a late Alex Smalley bogey moved enough pieces around to give Reitan qualification through the Aon 5.

And now look at him.

Kristoffer Reitan's first career victory!

He's just the second player from Norway to win on the PGA TOUR, joining Viktor Hovland. pic.twitter.com/TuJ88pYOFE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 10, 2026

Reitan’s Saturday 64 vaulted him to just one shot off Alex Fitzpatrick’s 54-hole lead, but when the latter faded early on Sunday, Reitan seized a quick lead. An even par front kept him near the top, though by early on the back nine, the crowded leaderboard included four players at 13 under. To win, he’d have to outduel Fowler, Hojgaard, and several others. But the tension took effect, as did the difficulty of Quail Hollow, and arriving to the relatively easy 14th and 15th holes, Reitan had a chance to put his stamp on the tournament.

That’s exactly what he did, with two consecutive birdies. An up-and-down from the sand on 14 and a two-putt from 55 feet on 15 gave him a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Fitzpatrick’s double bogey on 17 saw his chances come to an end, and when Hojgaard couldn’t sink his birdie putt at the last to apply any pressure, Reitan capped off the improbable win with a simple two-putt par.

“I don’t have any words, to be honest,” he said in the moments after his victory. “This is way more than I expected, and for it to happen this quickly is just unreal. Dream come true.”

Reitan has been quietly creeping up on the top levels of the game, earning his PGA Tour card for 2026 by capturing two DP World Tour events last year, and then hanging around the top half of leaderboards in America through the spring. In the last month, a T-10 at the Texas Open and a T-14 in Doral spoke to his potential.

The improbability, though, doesn’t stop with just making the field. In 2022, in the midst of serious struggles with his game, he took most of a year off from the sport. He even entertained the idea of making a career from YouTube golf. He recommitted to the idea of finding joy in the game, and the joy led to the success he’d been chasing.

“It helped me find my game again,” he said. “It helped me discover my talents again. It was something really important to me, which I try to remind myself of every single day.”

Jared C. Tilton

On the nuts and bolts, Reitan has excelled off the tee in 2026, been slightly below average on approach, and genuinely struggled putting. That all changed this week, when he finished with 5.158 strokes gained/putting, better than anyone in the field except Patrick Rodgers. He was similarly top-10 off the tee and on approach, but on Sunday, it was the pair of clutch birdie putts on 14 and 15 that made up the ultimate margin of victory.

Alex Fitzpatrick, despite positive words from Rory McIlroy and his own brother, stumbled both at the start and the finish, and could only muster a solo fourth-place finish despite showing impressive resolve early on the back nine, with three birdies in four holes to surge back to the top of the leaderboard. He was joined there by Fowler, who came out scorching hot to post a 30 on the front nine, and reached 14 under before a bogey on 18. His 65 gave him the clubhouse lead, and it lasted all the way until the final putt when Reitan closed the deal. Cameron Young, fresh off a Saturday 63—the best round of the tournament—and his win last week in Doral, struggled from the start and limped to a closing 74 for a T-10 finish.

Reitan will tee it up this coming week at the PGA Championship, his first time in that event and just the fourth major of his career. A victory at Aronimink feels far-fetched, even after capturing a signature event, but when you consider the trajectory of Reitan’s career, and especially his last month, “far-fetched” starts to look like a better bet than you’d expect.

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Jared C Tilton

The post New Norwegian star makes most of unlikely chance, scores first tour win with ice-cold finish at Truist Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Reitan arrived to compete in America this year on the strength of a top-10 finish in last season’s DP World Tour standings. It’s a handsome reward for those toiling on the European circuit, and then there is this: The PGA Tour has its promotion model into the big events in the form of in-season ladders—the Aon Next 10 and Aon Swing 5.

Put simply, play great early in the season and now you’re truly competing in the big leagues.

That leads to Reitan, who’s posted three top-14s in his past four starts, including a T-2 in the Zurich Classic, where he and Kris Ventura made some noise with a final-round 65.

It looked as if Reitan had played well enough to advance into his first signature event, the Truist, but then he was crushed by making two double bogeys, including at the 72nd hole, in the final round of the Cadillac Championship last week.

“On the 18th tee on Sunday last week I was not in the tournament this week,” Reitan recalled on Saturday.  “Because I made double and one more player bogeyed, [Alex] Smalley hopped up a couple spots on the leaderboard, which then put him in the Aon 10, which then put me in the Aon 5.

‘It was a little bit mind blowing,” Reitan said. “But I’ll take it.”

Of course he will because Reitan heads into Sunday’s final round at Quail Hollow trailing only fellow rookie Alex Fitzpatrick (14 under) by one shot after both players scored 64 in the third round. It figures to be a nervy final round for each, as they’re most closely trailed, at 12 under, by World No. 4 Cam Young, whose Cadillac victory last week followed his earlier triumph in the Players Championship.

Asked what he was most excited about for the final round, Reitan said, “Just the opportunity to be near the leaderboard on a Sunday at a PGA Tour event … rookie season, I’m just over the moon about that.”

The trio at the top have some interesting ties. Reitan and Fitzpatrick go back to their junior golf days together in Europe, and they now belong to the same golf club in Florida. It was also Alex, along with brother Matt, who beat out Reitan and Ventura in capturing the Zurich.

Meantime, Alex Fitzpatrick and Young overlapped for one college season at Wake Forest.

“He’s great. I have nothing but good things to say about Cam,” Fitzpatrick said. “Him, and then there was probably two other seniors—Kyle [Sterbinsky], his caddie—they all looked after me and took my under their wing. … I love him to bits. Happy to be out here with him.”

Young thought of Fitzpatrick enough to text him when the Englishman won his first DP World Tour title in March in India. At that point, Fitzpatrick hadn’t earned his PGA Tour card. That came with the win in New Orleans.

“Didn’t think he was thinking he would see me in the next two weeks,” Fitzpatrick said, “but, yeah, he sent me a nice text. Every time he’s played well, I feel like I’ve tried to message him as well. Yeah, the feeling is mutual.”

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Getty Images

The post Rookie contender in Truist was one shot from not making $20 million field appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge

Reitan began the day with a commanding five-shot lead but left the door wide open for the chasing pack as he struggled for consistency.

The Norwegian mixed four birdies with three bogeys on the front nine to hold a four-shot lead at the turn but, as he parred the first five holes of the back nine, Schaper and Bradbury closed the gap to two.

Reitan piled further pressure on himself as he bogeyed the 15th to sit just one clear but managed to hang on, parring his way home to close out a wire-to-wire victory by one shot, and become the first Norwegian winner of the event.

His level-par 71 was enough to get to 17 under par, one clear of home favourite Schaper and Englishman Bradbury.

"I had a lot of nerves today. The feeling of getting it done is betetr than any feeling I can describe!"

A very honest interview from the champion Kristoffer Reitan after winning in Sun City #NGC2025 pic.twitter.com/TNdPgVHUVX

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 7, 2025

Reitan has enjoyed a stellar 2025, winning his maiden DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open and earning dual membership with the PGA TOUR. He has now won twice in the calendar year and in back-to-back seasons.

Reitan made a shaky start on Sunday morning as he bogeyed the first but got the shot back from close range on the second.

Another bogey followed at the third before he rolled in a 13-foot birdie putt on the fifth to lead by three shots on 17 under.

Having been unable to save par on the short seventh, he bounced back with a long-range birdie at the eighth before making another from close range on the ninth to turn in 35.

But as he fought hard to avoid dropping shots on the back nine, Schaper and Bradbury found the birdies they required to eat into his lead.

And when Reitan bogeyed the 15th after failing to get out of the rough with his third shot, the chasing pair were just one back.

But he regained his composure and parred each of the final three holes to keep his playing partners at bay and add a second DP World Tour crown to the one he won in Belgium in May.

The victory rounded off a sensational day for Scandinavian golf, following Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen’s win at the Crown Australian Open.

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Getty Images

The post Kristoffer Reitan holds on for wire-to-wire Nedbank Golf Challenge victory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Year on year, the Nedbank Golf Challenge has featured a strong international field of dual DP World Tour and PGA TOUR members, alongside some invites welcomed by South African great Gary Player. The headline act was Viktor Hovland, with the European Ryder Cup star—the first Norwegian to win on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR—making his debut on South African soil this week. Another player making his first trip to Sun City was Canada’s Nick Taylor, a five-time PGA TOUR winner.

England’s Marco Penge, who had finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy in the previous season’s Race to Dubai Rankings, made his second start of the Opening Swing on the DP World Tour after playing in the season-opening BMW Australian PGA Championship. Penge was one of seven players who has earned dual membership with the PGA TOUR at the end of the prior season. He was joined by Laurie Canter, Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier, John Parry, Haotong Li and Jordan Smith. Of the 66 players in the field, 58 had previously won on the DP World Tour.

Over the 44 years since its inaugural edition, six South Africans have won the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Three-time winner Ernie Els remained the most successful, while Branden Grace was the most recent after claiming the title when it was a Rolex Series event in 2017. That week, 13 home hopes vied to join that list.

First staged in 1981 as the Million Dollar Challenge, the Nedbank Golf Challenge had featured on the DP World Tour schedule since 2014. Since its inception, Gary Player Country Club had played host to the tournament, which at the time boasted a US $6 million prize fund.

Kristoffer Reitan held off playing partners Jayden Schaper and Dan Bradbury on a nerve-shredding final day of the 2026 Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player to secure his second DP World Tour title.

See below the prize money breakdown and check back on Sunday for the final list.

Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge 

1. Kristoffer Reitan – €879,083.05

2. Dan Bradbury – €448,546.77

2. Jayden Schaper – €448,546.77

4. Christiaan Bezuidenhout – €259,007.88

5. Shaun Norris – €219,556.35

6. Thomas Detry – €168,955.47

6. Julien Guerrier – €168,955.47

8. Angel Ayora – €123,500.45

8. Andy Sullivan – €123,500.45

10. Ewen Ferguson – €90,395.47

10. Haotong Li – €90,395.47

10. Joost Luiten – €90,395.47

10. Francesco Molinari – €90,395.47

10. Daniel Van Tonder – €90,395.47

15. Will Zalatoris – €76,330.14

16. Garrick Higgo – €71,613.11

16. Tom McKibbin – €71,613.11

18. John Parry – €64,609.03

18. Adrien Saddier – €64,609.03

18. Nick Taylor – €64,609.03

21. Marcus Armitage – €60,034.94

21. Jordan Smith – €60,034.94

23. Jorge Campillo – €54,065.75

23. Alejandro Del Rey – €54,065.75

23. Grant Forrest – €54,065.75

23. Viktor Hovland – €54,065.75

23. Junghwan Lee – €54,065.75

28. Eugenio Chacarra – €48,456.77

28. Thorbjørn Olesen – €48,456.77

30. Martin Couvrá – €44,597.38

30. Nacho Elvira – €44,597.38

30. Richard Mansell – €44,597.38

33. Ryggs Johnston – €38,508.13

33. Joakim Lagergren – €38,508.13

33. Christo Lamprecht – €38,508.13

33. Pablo Larrazábal – €38,508.13

33. Thriston Lawrence – €38,508.13

38. Aldrich Potgieter – €34,134.15

38. Jesper Svensson – €34,134.15

40. Calum Hill – €31,561.23

40. Oliver Lindell – €31,561.23

40. Jacob Skov Olesen – €31,561.23

43. Matteo Manassero – €28,473.71

43. Marco Penge – €28,473.71

43. David Ravetto – €28,473.71

46. Angel Hidalgo – €24,357.03

46. Yuto Katsuragawa – €24,357.03

46. Jacques Kruyswijk – €24,357.03

46. Frederic Lacroix – €24,357.03

46. Antoine Rozner – €24,357.03

51. Connor Syme – €21,269.52

52. Guido Migliozzi – €20,240.35

53. Niklas Norgaard – €18,696.60

53. Darius Van Driel – €18,696.60

55. Adrian Meronk – €17,667.43

56. Rikuya Hoshino – €17,152.84

57. Paul Waring – €16,638.25

58. Dylan Naidoo – €16,123.67

59. Dylan Frittelli – €15,094.50

59. Yurav Premlall – €15,094.50

59. Ockie Strydom – €15,094.50

62. Marcel Siem – €14,065.33

63. Johannes Veerman – €13,293.45

63. Nicolai Von Dellingshausen – €13,293.45

65. Daniel Gavins – €12,521.57

W/D. Laurie Canter – €12,092.75

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Supplied

The post Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Reitan produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season in Belgium, overturning a nine-shot deficit with a closing 62 before winning a playoff to secure his first DP World Tour victory. The triumph made him only the second Norwegian to win on the DP World Tour, following close friend Viktor Hovland, with whom he played in amateur teams, including at the Eisenhower Trophy.

“Well, yeah, it’s been kind of a rollercoaster a little bit,” Reitan said ahead of his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship debut. “I was pretty far down, and it’s good to see that it can happen very quickly once you get things moving a little bit. So, yeah, it’s been a wild ride, but I’m excited for things to come for sure.”

After graduating from the HotelPlanner Tour 12 months ago, Reitan has steadily improved his form all season, which has him in fourth spot on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings and a PGA Tour card locked in already for 2026.

“It’s been a successful year, obviously,” he said. “I want to finish it strong, so I’m trying to prepare as good as I can.”

Viktor Hovland – 2025 Ryder Cup – Jared C. Tilton

Reitan’s relationship with Hovland, Norway’s most successful golfer in recent history, has been an the source of his motivation. The seven-time PGA Tour, two-time DP World Tour and Ryder Cup star was quick to praise Reitan on social media after his maiden DP World Tour win in May. Despite their careers having taken off at different speeds, Reitan says their friendship remains close and has laid out a blueprint for his own success on the PGA Tour stage.

Looking ahead, Reitan will relocate to Florida to prepare for life with dual membership on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, basing himself near Hovland and fellow PGA Tour member Norwegian Kris Ventura. “I’m excited about that for sure, to get a little bit closer to those guys,” he said. “They’ve been distant the last few years, so that’s going to be good.”

“I’m actually going to Florida after these two weeks, to look at some places and stuff, then we’re going to a training camp with some of the Norwegian guys, hoping Viktor is going to make it there as well.”

This week in Abu Dhabi, Reitan will test himself against a strong international field including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton at Yas Links for the first time, with the DP World Tour season entering its final two events. Reitan has already played Yas Links once this year, back in January, when his career looked a little different, but he describes playing it back then as a “good omen” for things to come.

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Getty Images

The post Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan looking to Viktor Hovland’s advice for stateside success appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Norwegian posted a sublime nine under par round of 62 to set the target at 13 under par, and after Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson saw his par putt lip out at the last, the duo returned to the 18th hole for a play-off with Dutchman Darius van Driel.

Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Soudal Open

The trio all parred the first extra hole and although all three had birdie putts on the second additional trip down the 18th, the Norwegian was the only one who found the bottom of the cup and secured what looked an unlikely victory at the start of the day. His win is the third victory by players from Norway on the DP World Tour, joining compatriot Viktor Hovland in the winner’s circle.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by DP World Tour (@dpworldtour)

Reitan started the day nine shots behind overnight leader Ferguson and teed off almost three hours before the last group out, but posted the lowest round of his DP World Tour career to set the target.

He birdied the first before dropping a shot at the third and at that stage there was little warning of what was to come, but a further nine birdies – including four in a row from the tenth – saw him join Ferguson on 13 under.

Challengers gradually fell by the wayside in Antwerp, with Ferguson twice dropping a shot over the opening stretch only to immediately birdie the next on both occasions to retake a share of the lead.

Ferguson birdied the eighth from 12 feet to go to 14 under but this time the roles were reversed as he dropped a shot at the next after finding a bunker with his approach, and it appeared to be a question on the back nine of whether the Scot could overhaul the Norwegian HotelPlanner Tour graduate’s clubhouse total.

The deadlock was finally broken when Ferguson drove in to a bunker at the short par-four 16th, only to fire a brilliant effort from 42 yards to tap-in range.

However, the three-time DP World Tour winner parred the 17th after laying up and then overhit his approach to the last against the grandstand and was unable to get up and down.

Van Driel’s run to the play-off was almost as unlikely as Reitan’s. Having drifted out of contention with 12 straight pars to start his round, the Dutchman finally made birdie on the 13th and finished with a spectacular hat-trick of gains, culminating in a 25-foot effort at the last.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by DP World Tour (@dpworldtour)

China’s Haotong Li, South African Thriston Lawrence, American Troy Merritt and English pair John Parry and Jordan Smith shared fourth on ten under.

Reitan’s victory sees him climb to tenth on the Race to Dubai Rankings and to the top of the European Swing Rankings.

Main Image: Getty Images

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

The post Reitan comes from nine shots back to win dramatic Soudal Open on DP World Tour appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

In the second event of the European Swing, home favourite Thomas Pieters and 2018 Open Champion Francesco Molinari were teeing it up in the 2025 edition, while football superstar Eden Hazard will take part in the Pro-Am on May 21.

Pieters and Molinari were part of a 156-strong field at Rinkven Golf Club as the Belgian looked to improve on his runner-up finish in 2024, while the Italian was mking his Soudal Open debut.

14 Belgian players competed in the field last week, thanks to a partnership with the Belgian Golf Federation.

The Soudal Open, formerly the Belgian Open, was first part of the DP World Tour in 1978. Former winners include Jose Maria Olazabal (1988), Miguel Angel Jimenez (1992), Darren Clarke (1993), Sir Nick Faldo (1994) and Lee Westwood (1998, 2000).

Kristoffer Reitan made it a day to remember as he set a new course record at Rinkven International Golf Club and then won his maiden DP World Tour title in a play-off at the Soudal Open.

Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Soudal Open

1 Kristoffer Reitan €412,807.64

T2 Ewen Ferguson €210,046.24

T2 Darius Van Driel €210,046.24

T4 Thriston Lawrence €88,583.66

T4 Haotong Li €88,583.66

T4 Troy Merritt €88,583.66

T4 John Parry €88,583.66

T4 Jordan Smith €88,583.66

T9 Matthew Jordan €51,479.54

T9 Romain Langasque €51,479.54

T11 Angel Ayora €39,678.10

T11 Manuel Elvira €39,678.10

T11 Alex Fitzpatrick €39,678.10

T11 Francesco Laporta €39,678.10

T11 Andy Sullivan €39,678.10

T16 Sam Bairstow €30,457.57

T16 Sean Crocker €30,457.57

T16 Nacho Elvira €30,457.57

T16 Grant Forrest €30,457.57

T16 Joost Luiten €30,457.57

T16 Ben Schmidt €30,457.57

T16 Andrew Wilson €30,457.57

T23 Ugo Coussaud €26,346.84

T23 Frederic Lacroix €26,346.84

T25 Simon Forsström €23,432.90

T25 Kazuma Kobori €23,432.90

T25 Oliver Lindell €23,432.90

T25 Marco Penge €23,432.90

T25 Bernd Wiesberger €23,432.90

T25 Fabrizio Zanotti €23,432.90

T31 Eugenio Chacarra €19,062.00

T31 Aaron Cockerill €19,062.00

T31 Benjamin Hebert €19,062.00

T31 Algot Kleen €19,062.00

T31 Andrea Pavan €19,062.00

T31 Brandon Robinson Thompson €19,062.00

T37 Casey Jarvis €16,026.65

T37 Yannik Paul €16,026.65

T37 David Ravetto €16,026.65

T37 Jason Scrivener €16,026.65

T41 Marcus Armitage €13,112.71

T41 Julien Brun €13,112.71

T41 Ivan Cantero €13,112.71

T41 Alejandro Del Rey €13,112.71

T41 Francesco Molinari €13,112.71

T41 Jacob Skov Olesen €13,112.71

T41 Jack Senior €13,112.71

T41 Callum Shinkwin €13,112.71

T49 Thomas Aiken €8,984.64

T49 Alexander Frances €8,984.64

T49 Alfredo Garcia-Heredia €8,984.64

T49 Jordan Gumberg €8,984.64

T49 Angel Hidalgo €8,984.64

T49 Matteo Manassero €8,984.64

T49 Guido Migliozzi €8,984.64

T49 Edoardo Molinari €8,984.64

T49 Conor Purcell €8,984.64

T49 Sebastian Söderberg €8,984.64

T59 Gregorio De Leo €7,163.43

T59 Robin Williams €7,163.43

T61 Rafa Cabrera Bello €6,677.77

T61 Yuto Katsuragawa €6,677.77

63 Daniel Brown €6,313.53

64 Matthew Southgate €6,070.70

T65 Alan De Bondt €5,706.46

T65 Chris Wood €5,706.46

Main Image: Supplied

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

The post Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Soudal Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Norwegian Reitan signed for a closing four under par round of 68 to reach 23 under par for the week and win by one from Dane Neergaard-Petersen and Spaniard Angel Ayora at Club de Golf Alcanada.

Hear from our newest member of the Winner's Circle #RolexGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/YsYjp8buZ1

— HotelPlanner Tour (@HPlanner_Tour) November 3, 2024

Reitan secures a maiden Challenge Tour title and becomes the second Norwegian winner of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final after Espen Kofstad in 2012.

The 26-year-old climbs 29 places in the Road to Mallorca Rankings to end the season as the Number Seven and guarantee his place on the DP World Tour in 2025.

Reitan started the final day three shots off the lead but went eagle-birdie on his opening two holes to join Neergaard-Petersen at the top. Despite dropped shots at the fourth and tenth, Reitan, who at one point was four shots adrift of Neergaard-Petersen at the top, fired back with birdies on 11, 13 and 15 to stay in contention and set the clubhouse lead on 23 under.

Neergaard-Petersen meanwhile made the turn two under par to move clear at the summit, but three dropped shots in his closing seven holes, including at the par four 18th, saw him drop to a share of second alongside Ayora.

The agony and ecstasy of golf…

Reitan pars the 18th but a bogey at the last for Neergaard-Petersen means Kristoffer Reitan is crowned the champion #RolexGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/tUtQZJJ9ny

— HotelPlanner Tour (@HPlanner_Tour) November 3, 2024

Reitan will return to the DP World Tour for the first time in six years having previously earned playing privileges through Qualifying School in 2018.

Neergaard-Petersen guaranteed automatic promotion to the DP World Tour by securing a third victory of the season in September and ends the week as the Road to Mallorca Number One on 1,826 points after enjoying a sensational debut season on the Challenge Tour.

The 25-year-old becomes the fourth player from Denmark to win the Challenge Tour Rankings after Marcus Helligkilde (2021), Joachim B Hansen (2018) and Thomas Bjørn (1995).

Englishman John Parry, who has also won three times on the Challenge Tour this season, ends the year as the Number Two, with Finn Oliver Lindell graduating in third after ending the year with eight consecutive top ten finishes.

Ayora ends his first season as a professional in fourth, Dane Hamish Brown, who has won twice this season, finishes fifth, with fellow two-time winner Conor Purcell from Ireland in sixth.

Swede Joakim Lagergren and Englishman Jack Senior secured their return to the DP World Tour by ending the year in eight and ninth respectively, with Joel Moscatel from Spain rounding out the top ten.

Swede Mikael Lindberg ends the year 11th, and is followed in the Rankings by five-time DP World Tour winner Alexander Levy who earns a return to golf’s Global Tour in 12th. Countryman Benjamin Hébert will join him after finishing 13th.

South African duo Robin Williams and Deon Germishuys will tee it up on the DP World Tour next year after ending the season 14th and 15th in the Rankings, as does Swede Björn Åkesson who finishes 16th.

Frenchman Martin Couvra (17th) and Englishman Brandon Robinson Thompson (18th) secure their first promotion, with Tapio Pulkkanen, the 2017 Challenge Tour Number One, joining them in 19th.

Pierre Pineau from France graduates to the DP World Tour for the first time in 20th, German Nicolai von Dellingshausen ends the year 21st, and two-time DP World Tour winner Lucas Bjerregaard from Denmark claims the final available card on offer in 22nd.

The Class of 2024 #RolexGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/WjgC6yRz5I

— HotelPlanner Tour (@HPlanner_Tour) November 3, 2024

The 20 (22) graduates accurate after the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A 2024

1 – Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
2 – John Parry
3 – Oliver Lindell
4 – Angel Ayora
5 – Hamish Brown
6 – Conor Purcell
7 – Kristoffer Reitan
8 – Joakim Lagergren
9 – Jack Senior
10 – Joel Moscatel
11 – Mikael Lindberg
12 – Alexander Levy
13 – Benjamin Hebert
14 – Robin Williams
15 – Deon Germishuys
16 – Bjorn Akesson
17 – Martin Couvra
18 – Brandon Robinson-Thompson
19 – Tapio Pulkkanen
20 – Pierre Pineau
21 – Nicolai Von Dellingshausen
22 – Lucas Bjerregaard

Main Image: Getty Images / Octavio Passos

The post Alright on the night for Kristoffer in Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, while Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen tops the Road to Mallorca Rankings. appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Given the enormity of the occasion and all the associated media hullabaloo, no one was too concerned by Othman Almulla’s scoring at the Saudi International earlier this month.

Even the 32-year-old was able to cut himself some slack after rounds of 80 and 81 left him sandwiched between a pair of amateur compatriots, Saud Al Sharif and Abdulrahman Al Mansour, at the foot of the leaderboard.

“The Saudi International went way beyond expectations for me,” said the pioneering Saudi professional who made his paid ranks bow in the kingdom’s equally historic European Tour debut at Royal Greens Golf & County Club, playing the opening 36-holes in the company of Ernie Els.

“Obviously the scoring didn’t reflect the level where I want to be but it was one week where the scoring wasn’t as important for me. It was all about inspiring people and putting smiles on kids faces. It’s such an honourable thing to inspire the future generation to do something and if I have a little part to play then I’m happy to do it.”

With that said, Almulla is determined to do more than be a trailblazer when he tees it up in his second European Tour event inside a month after being granted a special invite to the $1.75 million Oman Open starting today in Muscat.

Meet Othman, Saudi Arabia’s first pro golfer.#SaudiIntlGolf pic.twitter.com/apziGl7tOg

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 2, 2019

“It still feels like I’m living a dream when competing in such prestigious tournaments but I want to do something to make myself and my country proud,” said Almulla who will join the likes of defending champion Joost Luiten, former Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn and Oman’s No.1 amateur and good friend Azaan Al Rumhy at the spectacular Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf.

“If I can give myself a chance to make the cut that will be a surreal week for me. If I play the golf that I can play I know I’m good enough to be out there.

“I’m not here just to make up the numbers; I want to be competing with these guys week in week out so hopefully I can put myself in a position to do that.”

As well as being an inspiration to youngsters in Saudi, Almulla, was delighted at the thought of being a role model for junior golfers across the Middle East as he took part in a clinic with the Oman Junior Team before the Oman Open.

“I can’t tell you how heartwarming it is to see kids looking up to you as a role model for golf in the region. The kids at the clinic were really happy to see me. They will watch some of the best players in the world compete this week but for them to also keep an eye out for me and Azaan is a great thing and something that I didn’t have when growing up.”

Almulla, who has been grouped with Dane Kristoffer Reitan and Englishman Scott Gregory for his opening round on Thursday (13.10 Muscat time), is certainly indebted to his Omani pal who helped secure his start this week.

“Azaan is one of my closest and dearest friends so I spoke with him about participating in the tournament and from that conversation the Oman Golf Committee sent me an invitation which was nice,” said Almulla.  “I think it’s important for the GCC countries to support each other in golf and give the guys opportunities to play in these events.”

Luiten will begin the defence of his title off the 1st tee at 12 noon with American David Lipsky and Englishman Chris Wood.

The post Othman Almulla, Saudi’s pioneering pro, keen to show he has the game to threaten the cut mark in Muscat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.