Kiradech earns card to DPWT; Schott tops; Gandas, Sandhu miss cut at European Q-School

Tarragona, Spain, Nov 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat fired a sixth and final round of 7-under 64 to safely retain his DP World Tour card for next season following the conclusion of the gruelling Qualifying School Final Stage at Infinitum Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain on Wednesday

The 34-year-old Asian star, who was ranked in the world’s Top 50 previously and held a PGA TOUR card for four seasons, finished tied 14th to be amongst the top 25 and ties to safely secure their jobs for 2024.

“Feeling great, to shoot seven under in the final round and to earn my DP World Tour card again,” said a delighted Kiradech. “I have to give myself a big round of applause because I put myself in a good start, stayed patient and didn’t get nervous as I tried to control myself and make sure I hit the ball at the right spot. The thing I did today was one of the best rounds of the season.”

This is the second year in a row the big-hitting Thai, who is a four-time DP World Tour winner, needed to go back to Qualifying School to secure his playing privileges after he lost his PGA TOUR card in 2022. Now that his job is secure for another season, he is confident he can get back to his glory days and challenge for a fifth DP World Tour title in the coming season.

Manu and Sandhu miss cut

India’s Manu Gandas and Yuvraj Sandhu missed the cut which was applied after four rounds in the six-round competition. Gandas played the DPWT in 2023 after topping Tata Steel PGTI Order of Merit but failed to keep his card. Sandhu go to the final stage of the Q-School after finishing second on the Tata Steel PGTI Order of Merit in 2023.

Freddy Schott wins DPWT Final Stage Q-School

Freddy Schott eagled the final hole to secure a two stroke victory at the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School to become one of 33 players to earn their DP World Tour cards at INFINITUM.

The German posted a six under par round of 65 to finish on 27 under par for the week, two shots ahead of Italian Filippo Celli.

The 22-year-old, who finished 144th in the season-long Race to Dubai in partnership with Rolex Rankings, was delighted to come out on top at the marathon six round Final Stage event and admits regaining top tier privileges means everything to him.

Belgian Matthis Besard fired a closing six under par round of 65 to finish in third place on 23 under par alongside overnight leader Sebastian Friedrichsen from Denmark and Dutchman Darius van Driel.

Two-time DP World Tour winner, Tom Lewis, will also return to Golf’s Global Tour after turning his week around with a ten under par 61 on day four. Rounds of 67-65 followed for the Englishman, and he was delighted to come through a nervy week in Tarragona.

With his mother on the golf course to cheer him on, Kiradech said he also enjoyed playing alongside Sebastian Garcia of Spain, who fired a spectacular 62 to also secure his card. The Thai started the final round one stroke outside the Top 25 bracket but his stellar finish saw him end the week on 18-under 410, nine shots back of medallist, Freddy Schott of Germany.

The players who qualified for the DPWT 2024 season: Final Stage Qualifiers

Freddy Schott (GER); Filippo Celli (ITA); Sebastian Friedrichsen; Darius van Driel; Matthis Besard; Sam Jones; Tom Lewis; Sebastian Garcia; Haydn Barron; Kristian Krogh Johannessen; Jack Davidson; Jacques Kruyswijk; Renato Paratore; Andrew Wilson; Kiradech Aphibarnrat; David Ravetto; Pieter Moolman; Garrick Porteous; Nicolo Galletti; Joshua Berry; Benjamin Rusch; Jonathan Gøth-Rasmussen; Kristoffer Broberg; Rhys Enoch; Darren Fichardt; Jannik de Bruyn; Pedro Figueiredo; Søren Broholt Lind; Nicolai von Dellingshausen; Lauri Ruuska; Alfredo Garcia-Heredia; Joe Dean; James Nicholas

Source: IANS