Edoardo Molinari birdied the final hole to secure a one stroke victory at the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School and become one of 21 players to earn their DP World Tour cards at INFINITUM.
Molinari signed for a four-under 67 to go with rounds of 65, 61, 72, 68 and 66 and reach 29 under par for the week, one clear of Swede Niklas Lemke who secured his graduation with a 64 on the final day.
The three-time DP World Tour winner and Ryder Cup Vice Captain returned to the tee on Thursday to conclude his fifth round after the entirety of day six was washed out due to rain in Tarragona, before batting it out at the top with Lemke during round six.
Molinari, who at one point trailed Lemke by two strokes, was delighted to end the week on top and secure a swift return to Europe’s top tier tour.
“It was very good to finish on top,” he said. “I’m relieved to come out on top in the end. I feel I kind of deserve it after the way I played all week.
“I think on such a long week, it is important to get off to a good start and obviously it was the ideal start after two days. I couldn’t have dreamt about being 17 under par after two days.
“It means a lot to keep my card, especially as I’m 43 now. I’m towards the end of my career so any chance I get to play, I want to take it.
BRYANT BLASTS 62 TO COME THROUGH THE PACK
American Davis Bryant fired a nine-under 62 to finish in third place on 27 under to secure playing status on the DP World Tour for the first time after coming through all three stages.
Joining Bryant in coming through all three stages to earn their DP World Tour cards were Spaniard Albert Boneta, Australian Danny List and Dan Erickson, Ryggs Johnston and Corey Shaun from America.
There were storylines aplenty on the final day in Spain, with Armenian Jean Bekirian ending the week in tenth to become the first Armenian to hold a card on the DP World Tour, with a four under par 67 on the final day seeing him make sure of playing privileges on the 2025 Race to Dubai.
“What I’ve done the last two rounds, to have a DP World Tour card is a dream. It was very stressful today and I didn’t sleep yesterday, but today I played my best golf of the week. I’m proud to have played the golf I did under that pressure.”
LAST GASP EAGLE SENDS DE LEO THROUGH
South African Wilco Nienaber saved his best round of the week for last, signing for a 63 to climb into the graduation spots, with an eagle at the closing hole enough to book Italian Gregorio de Leo’s place on the DP World Tour next season.
Dutchman Wil Besseling made birdies on hole 16, 17 and 18 to earn his card in dramatic fashion, and Danish amateur Jacob Skov Olesen concluded a memorable week by finishing in a share of 18th alongside Besseling to make sure of his graduation.
Among those to narrowly miss out included two-time DP World Tour winner Eddie Pepperell, who fell one shot shy of the -18 target mark after shooting a final round 69.
A double-bogey six at the 15th proved costly and condemned the 33-year-old from Oxfordshire to a drop to the Challenge Tour for the first time in 12 years, although he will get a number of starts and invitations to play on the main tour.
Final Stage Qualifiers: Edoardo Molinari, Niklas Lemke, Davis Bryant, Albert Boneta, Alexander George Frances, Wilco Nienaber, Clément Sordet, Ryggs Johnston, Bastien Amat, Jean Bekirian, Joshua Berry, Justin Harding, Ben Schmidt, Benjamin Follett-Smith, Corey Shaun, Gregorio de Leo, Dan Erickson, Jacob Skov Olesen, Wil Besseling, Tadeáš Tadek, Danny List.