Brooke Henderson T5 in CME Globe season finale...36 hole results..

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship  

Leaderboard

The women are gathered for this LPGA season at the Tiburon GC in Naples, Florida finale for the Race to CME Group Championship.

World #1 from Thailand, Jeeno Thitikul 67 63 -14 leads by three shots. She has a healthy lead in points for the LPGA Player of the Year.

First prize is a season high $4,000,000.

Brooke Henderson in her 10th year on Tour, is T5 68 67 -9. 

After two years which saw Brooke's status drop to #28 in the world and #30 CME Group, she began 2025 slowly, but has improved in the 2nd half of the season.

At 28, she has 14 career wins, $14.5m earnings, 84 top 10's, 156 top 25's.

Bryan Angus

Hadwin still alive makes the cut, RSM Classic, 36 hole Results..

   PGA Tour: The RSM Classic Tee Times 

For the last month after Rory won his 7th Race to Dubai to officially wrap up the 2025 DP World Tour season, all I've been writing about is Canadians struggling/ triumphing at keeping their cards for the 2026 season.

After a poor season with just one top 10, Aaron Cockerill suddenly found his game his confidence and T2 at the Final stage of DP World Tour to regain his card for 2026 was a huge triumph under extreme stress.

Now on the PGA Tour we are left with 4 Canadians playing, three to keep their cards, one to improve his top 60 standing.

Last week Adam Hadwin led for 36 holes, T3 after 54 before a brutally windy day for golf in Bermuda he shot 75 to miss his chance, leaving him at #138 this final week, just hoping to get conditional status in the top 125.

Yesterday on a beautiful sunny, calm day on Sea Island in Georgia, a very exclusive holiday resort on the Atlantic,  Hadwin was one of several to breath again after a very good -6 64 saw him squeak in to make the -7 cut.

"I was nervous coming in, got a little bit sloppy in the last 3 or 4 holes. Every point matters, every point counts. It's an extra guy I can jump ahead of, if I do end up with non event status, that maybe it's one more tournament I get into, it was just an important day to givve myself two more days, two more chances.

I've got two more days to try and go low, talk to me again then"

He needs a T2 to regain full status, something less to get into top 125.

Other Canadians;

Ben Silverman 64 68 -10  (#137)  needs T2 for full status

Mac Hughes 67 68 -7 (#71)

Adam Svensson 67 71 -4 MC Season over will play Final Stage Q School December 7th.

Guys like Beau Hossler who's had his card since 2017, veteran Matt Kuchar since 2007, England's Matt Wallace at #102 made the weekend to try again, 

Others like Joel Dahman who just welcomed their 2nd child, did not, while Japan's Takumi Kanaya #99 and American Danny Walker #97 who MC now wait at home to see if they are in or out. 

The stakes are high, so is the pressure at this time of year. It could drive you crazy just thinking about a putt you missed in July, or the cuts you missed by a loose shot.

Just two more rounds...

Bryan Angus 

Silverman T6 leads Canadians at RSM Classic...Full scoreboard, Friday TEE TIMES

  PGA Tour: The RSM Classic Tee Times 

Ben Silverman needs to T2 this final week of the PGA Tour season to get into the top 100, and he's off to a good start with one of his best rounds of the year, a bogey free, 8 birdie -8 64 T6 playing the Plantation course, at the RSM Classic.

Mac Hughes #60) who won here in 2016/17 and has has two T2 is trying to move back into the top 50, or top 60 opened T23 -5 67 also on the Plantation, as was Adam Svensson (#167) who needs to win this to retain his card, however the top 125 do get conditional status.

Adam Hadwin had his best shot at winning last week in Bermuda after leading through 36 holes T3 after 54 but ran into that brutal windy Sunday, shot 75 to finish T11. 

He goes into this week #138 needing T2 to make the100, however after opening  with -1 71 T104, the top 125 may be a more realistic goal, with Final Stage Q School looming with only 5 cards on offer this year.

The leaders at -10 are Doug Ghim with a record 60 on the Seaside course, Davis Thompson 62 PL and Rico Hoey 62 PL.

There are a few guys around the 100 bubble who will lose their cards if they don't play well enough this week. #105 David Lipsky, #103 Beau Hossler, #102 Matt Wallace, Karl Vilips is #100, veteran Matt Kuchar is #110 after an opening 67, are just a few examples of the pressure this week. 

Bryan Angus

The RSM Classic..Last chance of 2025 for many...TEE TIMES

 PGA Tour: The RSM Classic Tee Times 

This is the last week of the Fall season and the last chance in several categories for many in the field. The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia where a sunny, hot week 79*F with little wind is the projected forecast.

This is the story for the 4 Canadians..

Mac Hughes #69 looks to get back inside the ANON 51-60 to qualify for more signature events, or better the top 50 for all the majors and all the signature events.

Adam Svensson #167, Ben Silverman #142, Adam Hadwin #138 all looking to make the top 125 (conditional status) or top 100 (full status). Should anyone win, they receive 2 year exception, a spot in the Players and PGA Championship amongst the perks.

Hadwin needs 2 way T2, Silverman needs 2 way T2, Svensson needs to win.

Should they miss out on the top 100 they are all qualified for Final Stage of Q School where only 5 are being given their cards. (DP Tour offered top 20 and ties).

Last week in Bermuda Adam Hadwin led after 2 rounds, was T3 a shot off the lead after 54, but on a brutal windy Sunday shot 75 to move up just 9 places to #138

You can see each players status # by clicking on the leaderboard or my TEE TIMES link.

Bryan Angus

Solid week by Adam Hadwin falls short..Butterfield Bermuda Championship... Final Results

  PGA Tour : Butterfield Bermuda Championship Leaderboard

With rounds of 65 66 71 Adam Hadwin at #147 on the Fed Ex Cup standings was T3 -11 just a shot off the lead with 18 holes to play.

He was in the penultimate group off the 1st tee at 8.05am,  all in the same boat, to get inside the top 100 to secure 2026 cards for the PGA Tour.

Tee times were moved up an hour with the strongest winds of the week expected, pars were great, bogeys ok but try to limit a big number was the deal. Adam needed a clear round as it turned out.

He made 3 bogey's on his front nine of 39, just one more coming in, 14 pars in all for +4 75. T11 -7 to  move up  places to #138.

The winner in his 243rd tour event was Adam Schenk who managed a clear E 71 -12 to move up 67 spots to #67, 2 years exemption with his 2026 playing privileges secure.

2nd was Chandler Phillips who also shot E71 -11 to move up 47 places from #139 to #92 and a Tour card waiting with just one event left this week in Sea Island Georgia, RSM Classic.

Either of those results were exactly what Hadwin was aiming for. His score of 75 was close to the average for the field.

However he now plays the RSM, with more confidence than he has had for most of the year, or like his Canadian colleague on the DP World Tour, Aaron Cockerill he will have to qualify at Final Stage of Q School where only 5 players will earn their cards for 2026.

Bryan Angus

Rory wins Race to Dubai, Matt Fitzpatrick wins 3rd Tour Championship ..Final results

  DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

It been close all week at this version of the DP World Tour Championship. and now they are neck and neck playing the last 3 holes in a thrilling finish.

On course, Rory, Laurie Canter and Matt Fitzpatrick are all -17, Ludvig Aberg is in the clubhouse 72 66 67 66 -17.

Tommy Fleetwood is -16 playing the last needing a birdie.

Rasmus Hojgaard is playing 17 at -15 as is Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen who has just gone eagle, birdie, now playing with Rory on the 16th.

Click on my scoring link to see the finish !!

Rory has already got enough points with his play today to win his 7th Race to Dubai title...he is looking for the double..

EDIT >>> PLAYOFF  In his year of year's Rory has just made an eagle 3 to tie his Ryder Cup pal Matt Fitzpatrick at -18 

* In the playoff Rory drove into the burn, made 6,, while Matt won it with a par 5.

* Rory wins 7th Race To Dubai Championship, 1 more than Seve, 1 less than Monty.

* Matt wins his 3rd DP World Tour Championship

Full details to follow...

Bryan Angus

Solid week at Butterfield Bermuda by Adam Hadwin may save his Tour card... 54 hole results..

   PGA Tour : Butterfield Bermuda Championship Leaderboard

Sunday on the windy Port Royal GC in Bermuda will certainly be the most impactful of Adam Hadwin's  2025 season.

Down and out ranked #147, playing poorly in this Fall season, he missed his first 3 cuts, he suddenly found his game for a few holes last week, and now this week 65 66 saw him leading and on Saturday he kept his game together, par 71 and with his season on the line he is T3 -11 just one shot off the lead -12.

Adam Schenk is at #138 T1 without a win in 242 starts, Braden Thornberry at #178 T1 are in the same boat as Adam, heading for Q School with demotion to the Korn Ferry Tour was in their cards, until today, a win solves all their problems.

Particularly galling for Hadwin after 10 years on Tour, inside the top 50 last year he played all the big events, golf can be a cruel mistress at times. 

However a T2 may still get him into the top 100, with a final week to come at RSM, he has a legit shot, something he did not have last Thursday. As he stands this morning he is projected to move up 16 spots to #131, so he needs to improve on that.

The top 100 get Tour cards, 125 get some conditional PGA Tour status, mixed in with Korn Ferry Tour status.

Final Stage at Q School this year awards only 5 PGA Tour cards, if there are ties, they will have to playoff.

A final point, playing in the wind has made scoring difficult, a bogey free round will keep Adam in contention, making a few more putts will make all the difference. 

Bryan Angus

'Rory the Story' DP World Tour Championship....54 hole results..

 Rory McIlroy fired a superb 68 on Saturday to share the lead ahead of the final round of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship as he goes in search of a second successive Dubai double.

The defending champion began the week with a healthy lead over nearest challengers Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton at the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings and in pole position to win a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy.

But after carding a third-round 68 to share the lead with Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen after 54 holes, he now has two trophies in his sights as he looks to end a stellar 2025 campaign in style.

The past 12 months have seen McIlroy achieve the career Grand Slam with a memorable Masters victory, taste victory at the Amgen Irish Open and play a starring role in Europe's historic away Ryder Cup win at Bethpage Black.

He now has the chance to cap a remarkable season with a fourth successive Race to Dubai title on Sunday, which would see him move past Seve Ballesteros on six and close to within one win of Colin Montgomerie's record of eight.

McIlroy started the day three shots off the lead but carded five birdies and a single bogey in round three to reach -13.

Neergaard-Petersen, who finished number one on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2024, also posted a 68, recovering from an opening bogey with birdies at the second, seventh, 12th, 14th and 16th to join McIlroy at the summit.

The pair have a world-class chasing pack waiting to strike on Sunday, with Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood, Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard and Matt Fitzpatrick among the group one shot back on -12, alongside Laurie Canter and Angel Ayora.

McIlroy said: "(Winning) would be an amazing way to end the season. I knew coming out here for these two weeks, Abu Dhabi last week and this week, I needed to play well.

"Marco wasn't that far behind. Obviously Tyrrell wasn't that far behind. I knew I needed to come out here and play well.

"I played well when I needed to last week, especially at the weekend. I've put myself in a position to try to get another win here. So yeah, I'm really pleased. I certainly could have coasted into these couple of weeks and enjoyed myself but the Race to Dubai is important to me, and it's important to me to try to get a little bit closer to Monty.

"As I said, I've put myself in a great position to go and do that tomorrow."

Neergaard-Petersen is looking forward to playing alongside McIlroy in the final group on Sunday. He said: "I'm so excited. I can't wait for tomorrow. I haven't played with him yet as a professional or ever, and to do it here in the final group on a Sunday is going to be pretty special.

"I've had a big goal this year to see if I could win out here, and obviously if I were to do it tomorrow and get it over the line, that would be incredible.

"But still 18 holes out here is a lot of golf to be played. If you start missing fairways, it can become quite difficult. The plan tomorrow is try to hit a lot of fairways and give myself a lot of chances."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus

Hadwin keeps his hopes alive at Butterfield Bermuda Championship... 36 hole results

  PGA Tour : Butterfield Bermuda Championship Leaderboard

The wind blew as it nearly always does in Bermuda, this iconic slice of former British domain in the Caribbean. it provides the challenge the tricky Port Royal resort course.

Bermuda has been the home of the native Bermudans, along with wealthy Brits, many who live there year around. You have to be wealthy, or get married into a resident to make it your home, which keeps the population and the economy stable.

Adam Hadwin hits from the 10th tee during the first round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Blaine, Minn. (Abbie Parr/AP)

Adam Hadwin is just one of 156 pros visiting, and with his year hanging in the balance he is writing a Canadian story so far 65 66 -11, keeping his hopes alive of retaining his 10 year old PGA Tour card.

" A little more scrambly than  yesterday, didn't hit it as well, short game, putting,, I made a bunch of putts today" was his summation..

He has this week, and next at the RSM Classic in Georgia to crack the top 100. He is currently 147th. The top 125 get conditional status, which means less events, none of the big ones.

Play on Saturday will be off split tees 1st, 10th 7.20am to 9.30am, there are 6 players back at 630am to finish their 2nd rounds..

Adam Svensson 73 71 T83, Ben Silverman 74 72 T99 are well out of contention.

Bryan Angus

Saturday in Dubai..Packed leaderboard..Live scoring

  DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

Round 3 is well underway on another dazzling sunshine day in the Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai which is a wealthy urban settlement in the desert, row after row of white houses with all modern conveniences, swimming pools to attract foreigners looking for a winter home from all over the world.

The 50 pros left standing to settle the account on this 2025 season, continue to scorch the Earth course, currently Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard has caught and passed his twin brother Nicolai who was the overnight leader, -7 through 15 holes -12 total along with Laurie Canter the English pro, -4 through 12 also at -12 as the co-leaders.

Six players are at -11, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton,, John Parry, Alex Noren and Justin Rose, there is nothing happening with the weather to challenge and seperate the guys, so it is and will be a shootout..

There are 15 players within 2 shots of the lead...

More to follow..

Bryan Angus

 

It's Nicolai Hojgaard leading the Ryder Cup team in Dubai...36 hole results

   DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

Nicolai Højgaard continued his love affair at Jumeirah Golf Estates as he opened up a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship.

The Dane is making his third appearance at the season-ending event on the Earth Course, where he came fourth on his debut in 2021 before lifting the trophy two years later.

Højgaard began the day three shots behind leader Michael Kim, but an eagle and five birdies saw him catapult to the top of the leaderboard thanks to a flawless -7 65,  the lowest round of the week so far  to reach -12.

There is a stellar chasing pack in hot pursuit, with his 2023 European Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy sat alongside Daniel Hillier and fellow Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen at -9.

"It's great to be back, it's one of my favourite tournaments and courses to play," Højgaard said.

"I stayed really patient again. Yesterday was a really good round and I feel that I actually played a little bit better today. It's just staying patient.

"There are plenty of chances out there, but it's easy to make a silly bogey out of being too aggressive so trying to navigate my way around there a little bit. Staying patient has been the highlight so far.

"It suits my eye. You talk about golf courses suiting your eye, I really like it off the tee. It's a precision course as well, it's a mix of a driver down to a four-iron and it plays into my strength which is mid-irons.

"It's just a really good fit for me and I've played some really good golf again so hopefully we can keep it up."

Højgaard made a fast start with an opening birdie before leaving just four feet at the par-five second with his approach.

Just as Kim sent his tee-shot into the steep fairway bunker at the first, the Dane rolled in the eagle putt to join him in the lead at -8

Rose joined the pair at the summit with a huge 65 foot birdie putt at the sixth before Kim dropped out of the leadership group with an opening bogey.

However, Fleetwood followed Højgaard's lead at the second with an eagle, albeit his was from 61 feet to jump ahead on his own at -9.

Rose completed a hat-trick of birdies at the seventh to reach nine under, while Højgaard made it three European Ryder Cup stars at the top with a birdie at the fifth.

Højgaard drained his fifth birdie of the day at the 14th to restore his two-shot lead at -12. His advantage then stretched to three when Neergaard-Petersen bogeyed the last to slip back.

Rose and Neergaard-Petersen, who were playing partners on day two, both carded 67s as did Irishman Lowry to reach -9. Defending champion McIlroy came home with a -4 68 and New Zealand's Hillier signed for a -3 69.

Canter, Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, Swede Alex Noren and Fleetwood are one shot further back at -8.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus

Hadwin has a lifeline, leads Butterfield Bermuda..round 1 results..

 PGA Tour : Butterfield Bermuda Championship Leaderboard

"I truly believe that my best golf is still to come, I've got a lot more in me, then I will be a better player when I get through this. It was just a matter of when and today was a good start"

For 10 years on Tour, Adam Hadwin has had his moments joining the ranks in 2015, with 1 victory, but really was a good player, top 50 in 2024, makes a really nice living with over $25m career he is a mainstay in the Canadian contingent, but somewhere along the line when he made changes to his swing he lost his way in 2025, a dismal season, finishing near 150 in the Fed Ex Cup standings, missed the playoffs and Tour championship.

He went home for a few weeks,, then came back to the Fall season to try and rescue his year and promptly missed the first cuts.

Out of the blue with no warning in his warmup, he goes out on this windy Port Royal GC and rolls in 7 birdies for the round of the day -6 65 and the lead on the opening day of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship !!

It's early but just imagine, a win takes him from #147 to #71 and his card secured for 2026 2027, 2nd might just get him inside the top 100. 

"Golf is a funny game" he said as he walked away, with hope in his heart.

Adam Svensson 73, Ben Silverman 74 were the other Canadian scores.

Bryan Angus

Friday in Dubai...Ryder Cup stars all over the leaderboard....Live scoreboard.

  DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

Round 2 is well under way on Friday morning in Dubai and one of the Danish twins Nicolai Hojgaard has it all going his way with an eagle 3 and 4 birdies, -6 30 on his front nine, to take the lead at -11

However just look at the line up behind him all at -9, Shane Lowry, Laurie Canter who will win dual membership this year, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, with Rory and Bob MacIntyre at -8, Ludvig Aberg has the round of the morning in the clubhouse with -6 66, the Ryder Cup stars are all over the leaderboard.

more to follow..

Bryan Angus

Michael Kim leads the TOUR Championship...Round 1 results

  DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

Michael Kim produced a brilliant burst of scoring on the back nine to lead by one shot after the first round of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship.

The FedEx Open de France champion made three birdies on the front nine before catching fire after the turn, firing five birdies in six holes from the tenth to set the early clubhouse target at -8

None of the later starters were able to match or beat the American's 64, with Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood his nearest challenger on -7.

Fleetwood posted a sparkling 65 to maintain the remarkable recent form that has seen him win his first PGA TOUR title to capture the FedExCup, play a key role in Europe's historic away Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black and win the DP World India Championship in the past three months.

The Englishman also went close at last week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but lost out to Aaron Rai in a tense play-off on Sunday.

Race to Dubai Rankings leader Rory McIlroy sits in a tie for third -6 66 behind Fleetwood alongside Thriston Lawrence and Andy Sullivan.

Making his first appearance at the DP World Tour's season finale, Kim's iron play was particularly impressive on Thursday as he got inside ten feet at 11 of the 18 holes to give himself plenty of birdie chances.

However, he produced a shot-of-the-day contender from among the trees, lifting his second shot from the sand to within five feet to set up an unlikely birdie.

Kim continued to give himself chances on the way in but had to settle for three closing pars.

He said: "Just had everything going. Drove it in the fairway enough times, and I hit my irons really great, and was able to roll some putts in.

"My coach Sean and I worked a quick FaceTime session on Monday night and worked really well.

"Happy to hit that many inside ten feet."

Kim is enjoying travelling the world on the DP World Tour, adding: "Coming to places like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, France and India.

"I personally really enjoy the travel. The competition is great, and I thoroughly enjoy my time here."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

PGA Tour : Down to the wire for Canadians at Butterfield Bermuda Championships...live scoring

 PGA Tour : Butterfield Bermuda Championship Leaderboard

It has come down to the wire for the 3 Canadians left, playing this Fall Season endeavouring to win their playing privilege's on the PGA Tour for 2026.

Ben Silverman #137, Adam Svensson #163, Adam Hadwin #147 all need a big week.

They have 2 weeks left to get inside the top 100, or face Q School or a season on the Korn Ferry Tour...

more to follow...

Bryan Angus

DP World Tour Championship.. Michael Kim takes clubhouse lead ...live results.

 DP World Tour Championship : Leaderboard Weather

After an amazing drone fireworks display under the black desert sky last night in Dubai, another impossibly clear sunny day dawned and it didn't take long for the players to produce fireworks of their own.

Michael Kim turned professional in 2013

American Michael Kim 28, who the Fed Ex Open de France has set the standard in the clubhouse with an early bogey free -8 64,, but there will be more to follow...

Tommy Fleetwood is on a back nine charge with 5 birdies in 7 holes -7 through 16..

Rory is -5 through 13 having gone out with 5 birdies...

Follow all the scoring as it happens by clicking on  my link above.

more to follow..

Bryan Angus..

Who are the top 20 that won their Tour cards for 2026...

 DP World Tour Qualifying School has reached a climax for another year, providing elation and relief for some while breaking the hearts of others.

Held at the INFINITUM resort in Spain, a 156-strong field started Final Stage last Friday with the six-round event finishing on Wednesday.

After 60 players made the cut after the opening four rounds – played across both the Lakes and Hills courses – it was left for the remaining hopefuls to vie to finish among the top 20 and ties and secure DP World Tour playing privileges.

This year, DP World Tour winners Eddie Pepperell, Shubhankar Sharma, Adri Arnaus and Matthew Baldwin are among those to do just that, while there are six players who have come through all three stages of Qualifying School to earn the right to compete on the Race to Dubai next season.

Among those to just fall short of securing Category 18 status on the DP World Tour were France's Alexander Levy and Scotland's Marc Warren, who have nine DP World Tour titles between them, with both eligible for membership of the HotelPlanner Tour in Category 9 for the 2026 season.

South Africa’s Zander Lombard won the six-round test of endurance on 36 under par – finishing a remarkable 13 shots clear of his nearest challengers – with an aggregate total of 18 under good enough to finish among the top 20.

Here, we breakdown the players who have secured their DP World Tour status for 2026…

Swift returns to Golf's Global Tour

Final Stage of Qualifying School began less than two weeks on from the culmination of the regular DP World Tour season, with several players who finished outside the top 115 on the Race to Dubai Rankings to lose their full playing privileges promptly regaining status at Final Stage.

Leading that charge was event winner Lombard, who had a delayed start to his 2025 season after an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and medial meniscus tear sustained playing padel in June 2024 forced him to be on the sidelines for seven months.

“It’s been a tough year and a half," he said.

"From knee surgery, learning how to walk again, to trying to find my game the last six months and then really starting to enjoy the game again the last two.

"It’s been trending and hopefully I can keep this form for the year to come.”

Aaron Cockerill finished 120th on the Rankings, but the Canadian, with his back to the wall can look forward to his starts again on the DP World Tour, as can India’s Sharma after he put a season of toil behind him – attributed to struggles with new equipment – by coming through Second Stage and then Final Stage as the pair finished in a T2

Nathan Kimsey, the HotelPlanner Tour’s Number One in 2022, is no stranger to Q-School having come through all three stages on his way to winning Final Stage in 2016. He has had his injury troubles over recent years and went without a top ten last season but is another who will be teeing it up during the early weeks of the new season after finishing solo fifth.

Fellow Englishman Baldwin won his maiden DP World Tour title in 2023 - on his 200th start - but lost his card last month, bouncing back quickly from that disappointment at Final Stage as he finished birdie-eagle to finish in the top ten.

Andreas Halvorsen of Norway is another who played on the DP World Tour last season and will be back on Golf’s Global Tour later this month and beyond, while Adri Arnaus is a well-known name who will hope to return to the form that saw him win in his homeland in 2022.

The headline maker

Already one of European golf’s best known players, Pepperell has only bolstered his legion of fans in the past couple of years through The Chipping Forecast, a podcast he co-hosts alongside broadcasters Andrew Cotter and Iain Carter.

On paper, he was the biggest name on the entry list at Final Stage and his success in securing playing privileges will be a source of great happiness for many from far and wide.

Having bogeyed the 12th in his final round, the Englishman was three outside the projected number to finish in the top 20 and ties but he closed with four consecutive birdies to finish at 19 under, in a share of 12th place.

Last year, he missed from seven feet for eagle at the last to miss out on status by one shot so it was no surprise that he was emotional after his stunning finish.

“I’m pretty proud of myself actually," he said. "That was a tough day [with] a great finish.

"I didn’t have too many goals coming into these two weeks.

"I was just looking forward to playing some golf to be quite honest and hoping that I would play well.

"This week felt like a bit of a struggle at times and never more so than today midway through the round, but I really hung in there. I am delighted."

The headline maker

Already one of European golf’s best known players, Pepperell has only bolstered his legion of fans in the past couple of years through The Chipping Forecast, a podcast he co-hosts alongside broadcasters Andrew Cotter and Iain Carter.

On paper, he was the biggest name on the entry list at Final Stage and his success in securing playing privileges will be a source of great happiness for many from far and wide.

Having bogeyed the 12th in his final round, the Englishman was three outside the projected number to finish in the top 20 and ties but he closed with four consecutive birdies to finish at -19 in a share of 12th place.

Last year, he missed from seven feet for eagle at the last to miss out on status by one shot so it was no surprise that he was emotional after his stunning finish.

“I’m pretty proud of myself actually," he said. "That was a tough day [with] a great finish.

"I didn’t have too many goals coming into these two weeks.

"I was just looking forward to playing some golf to be quite honest and hoping that I would play well.

"This week felt like a bit of a struggle at times and never more so than today midway through the round, but I really hung in there. I am delighted."

From First Stage to the DP World Tour

The gruelling six-day marathon that is Final Stage marked the climax of Qualifying School, which began earlier this year in late August.

Across First Stage and Second Stage there have been 14 events, with six players contesting at least 252 holes to secure career-changing DP World Tour status.

Among those is Brazil’s Frederico Biondi Figueiredo, who won over the opening weekend of First Stage, with fellow South American Andres German Gallegos of Argentina also a winner at First Stage.

Scottish-born Australian Connor McKinney, who led after a flawless 62 in the opening round at Final Stage, finished in a T2 at INFINITUM, with Portugal’s Daniel Rodrigues, whose only DP World Tour appearance came as an amateur on home soil in 2019, making the most of the platform that Q-School provides.

Joining them were American Hunter Logan and Mike Toorop of the Netherlands, who revealed he spent 15 minutes crying outside recorders thinking of his ten-month old son as he came to grips with swapping playing on the Germany-based Pro Golf Tour for the DP World Tour.

Meanwhile, Quentin Debove of France, England's Jack Hule and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana secured their DP World Tour status by coming through Second and Final Stages.

Debove - ranked outside the world's top 1000 - will join a strong French contingent on the Race to Dubai next season, having played on the Alps Tour this year.

At 31, Hule has swapped the Clutch Pro Tour for the DP World Tour, while Kaewkanjana is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour.

Final Stage specialists

Describing them as specialists might be a bit of a stretch, but securing DP World Tour status over back-to-back years at Final Stage is no mean feat.

Having finished third last year, American Davis Bryant carded a 62 on day three to help him comfortably finish among the top 20 and he will hope to be better equipped for his second taste of the DP World Tour after a rookie season that saw him combine playing opportunities across both the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour.

Gregorio de Leo made 17 starts on the DP World Tour in his rookie season after graduating from Q-School last year, registering two top tens as he finished 130th on the Race to Dubai Rankings.

The third and final member of this group is Benjamin Follet-Smith, with the Zimbabwean – a two-time winner on the HotelPlanner Tour – hoping to make a quick adjustment when the 2026 Race to Dubai begins after coming through two stages of qualifying.

Last season, he prioritised events on both the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour that were co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour, before struggling for form as the Tour arrived in Europe.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)