16th November 2022 – Updated

The DP World Tour’s FINAL STAGE QUALIFYING event, played at Infinitum in Tarragona, Spain came to a conclusion on 16th November 2022.

I have been following all of the amateurs, GB&I professionals, First Stage and Second Stage Qualifying medalists and a few other overseas ‘players of interest’ throughout the Q-School process.

Here is a summary of their final results after 6 rounds of Final Stage play: –

PLAYERS WHO FINISHED IN THE TOP 25 AND TIES
These players have earned conditional membership (Category 17) on the DP World Tour and fully exempt status on the Challenge Tour for the 2023 season.

1st  -29  Simon FORSSTRÖM (SWE) – EX Challenge Tour OoM  WINNER
3rd -26  Daniel BROWN (ENG) – EX Challenge Tour OoM
T13 -19  Gary HURLEY (IRL) – Alps Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Emporda
T13 -19  Sam HUTSBY (ENG) – 1st Stage Golf D’Hardelot / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T19 -18  David HORSEY (ENG) – EX DP World Tour OoM
T19 -18  Jens FAHRBRING (SWE) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Emporda CO-WINNER
T23 -17  Andrew WILSON (ENG) – EX DP World Tour OoM
T23 -17  Garrick PORTEOUS (ENG) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Emporda
T23 -17  John MURPHY (IRL) – EX Challenge Tour OoM

A total of 28 players finished in the top 25 and ties positions with -17 being the cut-off.

Simon Forsström (SWE) was medalist with an impressive 399 (-29) total, two shots better than France’s David Ravetto who won the Brabazon Trophy in 2020.

Simon Forsström (Photo: DP World Tour)

Christoffer Bring (DEN), Tobias Edén (SWE), Sam Hutsby (ENG) and Gunner Wiebe (USA) all completed the full Q-School, working their way through the First, Second and Final Stages to secure their DP World Tour cards.

Here are the round-by-round scores of the 28 players who earned their DP World Tour cards:-

DP World Tour Q-School Results

PLAYERS WHO MADE THE TOP 70 AND TIES 72 HOLE CUT AND FINISHED BELOW 25TH PLACE
These players have earned conditional membership (Category 20) on the DP World Tour and are fully exempt on the Challenge Tour for the 2023 season.

T29 -16  Oliver FARR (WAL) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T32 -15  OJ FARRELL (ENG) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T32 -15  Ross MCGOWAN (ENG) – EX DP World Tour OoM
T35 -14  Tom MURRAY (ENG) – 1st Stage The Players Club / 2nd Stage Emporda CO-WINNER
T35 -14  Marco PENGE (ENG) – EX Challenge Tour OoM
T35 -14  Takumi KANAYA (JAP) – 1st Stage Mottram Hall WINNER / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T43 -13  Tom LEWIS (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner
T43 -13  Pavan SAGOO (ENG) – PGA EuroPro Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Emporda
T43 -13  Daniel O’LOUGHLIN (ENG) – 1st Stage Mottram Hall / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T43 -13  Sam BAIRSTOW (ENG) TURNED PRO 9/22 – WAGR Top 10 / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T43 -13  Chris WOOD (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner
T43 -13  Chris PAISLEY (ENG) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T51 -12  Callan BARROW (ENG) AM – 1st Stage Mottram Hall / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
T56 -11  Craig HOWIE (SCO) – EX DP World Tour OoM
T66   -6  Liam JOHNSTON (SCO) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T68   -5  Gary BOYD (ENG) – 1st Stage Arlandastad / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
70th  -4  Oliver FISHER (ENG) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
WD        Ashley CHESTERS (ENG) – EX DP World Tour OoM (after 90 holes -4) 

Callan Barrow was the only amateur to make the cut and ultimately finished in a very credible tied 51st position. With Challenge Tour status secured for 2023 he will inevitably turn pro in the coming weeks.

PLAYERS WHO MISSED THE TOP 70 AND TIES CUT AFTER 72 HOLES
Players failing to make the cut are eligible for membership of the Challenge Tour in 2023.

T73   -4  Jack SENIOR (ENG) – EX DP World Tour OoM
T73   -4  Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) – EX DP World Tour Career Money List
T73   -4  Harry GODDARD (ENG) – 1st Stage Golf D’Hardelot / 2nd Stage Emporda
T73   -4  Ivan CANTERO GUTIERREZ (ESP) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Las Colinas WINNER
T73   -4  Steven BROWN (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner
T85   -3  Cormac SHARVIN (ENG) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
T85   -3  Hayden HOPEWELL (AUS) AM – 1st Stage Arlandastad / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T85   -3  Simon DYSON (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Career Money List
T85   -3  Joel SJOHOLM (SWE) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Isla Canela CO-WINNER
T93   -2  Jonathan CALDWELL (NI) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner
T93   -2  Alfie PLANT (ENG) – EX Challenge Tour OoM
T93   -2  Tom GANDY (IoM) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T93   -2  Matt FORD (ENG) – DP World Tour Member / 2nd Stage Emporda
T100  -1  Thomas THURLOWAY (ENG) – 1st Stage Lyngbygaard / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T103 Ev  Paul DUNNE (IRL) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner
T103 Ev  Craig ROSS (SCO) – 1st Stage Golf D’Hardelot / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T103 Ev  Angus FLANAGAN (ENG) – 1st Stage Arlandastad / 2nd Stage Emporda
T114 +2  Philipp KATICH (GER) – 1st Stage Golf D’Hardelot / 2nd Stage Desert Springs WINNER
T123 +3  James ALLAN (ENG) – PGA EuroPro Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
T123 +3  Braden THORNBERRY (USA) – 1st Stage The Players Club / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T123 +3  Luke HARRIES (WAL) AM – 1st Stage Arlandastad / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
T131 +4  Michael STEWART (SCO) – 1st Stage The Players Club CO-WINNER / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
T131 +4  David HOWELL (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Career Money List
T131 +4  Christian BANKE (USA) – 1st Stage Montado / 2nd Stage Isla Canela
T137 +6  David HAGUE (ENG) – 1st Stage Mottram Hall / 2nd Stage Desert Springs
T144 +8  Pieter MOOLMAN (RSA) – Sunshine Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Isla Canela CO-WINNER 
T146 +9  Hamish BROWN (DEN) -5 T23 – Nordic Golf league OoM / 2nd Stage Emporda
149th +13  Kyle MICHEL (AUS) – 1st Stage Rosebud / 2nd Stage Las Colinas
WD          Luis MASAVEU (ESP) AM – 1st Stage Montado / 2nd Stage Emporda (after 36 holes -3)
WD          Richard MCEVOY (ENG) – EX DP World Tour Past Winner (after 54 holes +2)
WD          Ben STOW (ENG) – Challenge Tour OoM / 2nd Stage Las Colinas (after 54 holes +12)

EX – Exempt Player 

Click this link to view the DP World Tour’s full – FINAL STAGE Q-SCHOOL RESULTS

Every player will be ranked according to their final results with ties resolved by card play-off. For those that make the cut the initial focus will be on the best last 18 holes, then best last 36 holes and then the best 3rd or 4th round over the Lakes Course.

This finishing position ranking is very important as it can make a big difference to the number of Tour starts recevied. To illustrate this Pre-COVID the Final Stage medalist could expect to receive 27 DP World Tour starts whilst the 25th placed qualifier garnered 18.

The DP World Tour announced on 3rd November that exempt players in categories 1-17 in the 2023 season would be guaranteed minimum earnings of $150,000 if they compete in 15 or more events. As the Top 25 and Ties finishers at Q-School gain Category 17 membership they will be eligible for this payment. Players who made the cut but finished below 25th place earned Category 20 membership which excludes them from this arrangement.

Infinitum – 18th hole, Hills Course (Photo: http://www.infinitumliving.com)

156 players contested the DP World Tour’s FINAL STAGE QUALIFYING event which was played between 11th – 16th November 2022 at Infinitum, previously known as Lumine Golf Club, in Tarragona, Spain.

96 of these players came through the four Second Stage competitions with the remaining 60 players being exempted into Final Stage through their past endeavours.

45 Great British & Irish (GB&I) players were in the field; 26 coming through Second Stage with 19 being exempt.

Four amateurs made it through to the Finals – Callan Barrow (ENG), Luke Harries (WAL), Hayden Hopewell (AUS) and Luis Masaveu (ESP).

A total of six rounds or 108 holes were played over the venue’s two championship courses; the Lakes which plays 7,001 yards (par 71) and the Hills which is slightly shorter at 6,944 yards (par 72).

After two rounds were played on both the Hills and Lakes courses (72 holes) the field was cut to the leading 70 players and ties. 72 players, including 24 from GB&I, made this cut which fell at -5. The final 36 holes were then played on the Lakes Course on the remaining two competition days.

The Q-School consists of three stages, First, Second and Final. More information on the 2022 Qualifying School can be found in the Appendix at the end of this article. Earlier articles on this website covered the FIRST STAGE and SECOND STAGE Qualifying School events.

APPENDIX

THE 2022 DP WORLD TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL SERIES

The DP World Tour (previously known as the European Tour until November 2021) Qualifying School was first played in 1976, four years after the European Tour was founded. What started out as a 72 hole test has grown into potentially a 252 hole marathon.

Nowadays there are three stages of stroke play qualifying; First, Second and Final.

The 2022 European Tour Q-School entrance fee is £2,000 (2019: £1,800).

Male amateur golfers with a handicap below 0.4 (i.e. scratch) and who have appeared in positions 1-2,000 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) in 2022 can enter.

Some entrants are exempted straight into Second Stage or Final Stage based on their past results and ranking.

From an amateur perspective the leading 5 entrants to First Stage as at 17th August 2022 to a limit of 20th place in the WAGR are fast-tracked straight into Second Stage.

FIRST STAGE

First Stage consisted of nine 72 hole stroke play qualifying events split into six Sections, A, B, C, D, E and F.

Around 20% of each field, normally 15-30 players, progressed from each event. The actual number of places were confirmed after all of the players had teed off on Day 1 of each qualifier.

A 54-hole cut, where players needed to be within 7 shots of the final allocated qualifying place, reduced the field for the final round. Ties for the final qualifying place at the end of play also advanced.

For more information on this year’s First Stage please read – DP World Tour Q-School – 2022 First Stage Preview & Results

Here are links to all of the results from the First Stage events:-

4-8 Oct 2022 SECTION F – MOTTRAM HALL, ENGLAND – Mottram Hall Q-School Results

4-7 Oct  2022 SECTION F – GOLF D’HARDELOT, FRANCE – Hardelot Q-School Results

27-30 Sept 2022 SECTION E – LYNGBYGAARD GOLF, DENMARK – Lyngbygaard Q-School Results

20-23 Sept 2022 SECTION D – BOGOGNO GOLF RESORT, ITALY – Bogogno Q-School Results

14-17 Sept 2022 SECTION C – HAUGSCHLAG, AUSTRIA – Haugschlag Q-School Results

13-16 Sept 2022 SECTION C – ARLANDASTAD GOLF, SWEDEN – Arlandastad Q-School Results

7-10 Sept 2022 SECTION B – MONTADO, PORTUGAL – Montado Q-School Results

30-2 Sept 2022 SECTION A – THE PLAYERS CLUB, ENGLAND – The Players Q-School Results

30-2 Sept 2022 SECTION A – ROSEBUD CC, AUSTRALIA – Rosebud Q-School Results

SECOND STAGE

Four events were played concurrently at Desert Springs GC, Emporda Golf, Isla Canela Links and Las Colinas G&CC, all in Spain. These competitions were played over 72 holes with no cut.

The actual number of places available for Final Stage were again confirmed after all of the players have teed off on Day 1 of each event. Sudden death play-offs were also held to resolve ties at this Stage.

For more information on this year’s First Stage please read – DP World Tour Q-School – 2022 Second Stage Preview & Results

Here are links to all of the results from the First Stage events:-

3-6 Nov 2022 – DESERT SPRINGS GC, SPAIN – Desert Springs Q-School Results

3-6 Nov 2022 – EMPORDA GOLF, SPAIN – Emporda Q-School Results

3-6 Nov 2022 – ISLA CANELA LINKS, SPAIN – Isla Canela Q-School Results

3-6 Nov 2022 – LAS COLINAS G&CC, SPAIN – Las Colinas Q-School Results

FINAL STAGE

The Final Qualifying Stage consists of 108 holes on the Lakes and Hills Courses at Infinitum, previously known as Lumine GC, in Tarragona, Spain. Infinitum / Lumine replaced PGA Catalunya Resort in 2017 and will be hosting Final Stage for the fourth time this year.

The Tour has entered a new 3 year contract, covering 2022-24, with the Spanish venue to stage the Finals.

156 players will play two rounds over each of the Hills and Lakes Courses. After these 72 holes the field will be cut to the leading 70 players and ties who will play a final 36 holes.

The leading 25 players (plus those tied for 25th place) in the Final Stage competition will earn Full Membership of The DP World Tour (and Challenge Tour) for the 2023 season. On average between 2014-19 the medalist has received 27 European Tour starts whilst the 25th qualifier has garnered 18.

Those who make the 72 hole cut but finish outside the Top 25 will also earn a membership category, albeit a lower one, on the DP World Tour (and Challenge Tour).

Players who miss the cut will be eligible for membership of the Challenge Tour.

Every player is ranked according to their finishing score, card count backs assisting in this process, and this ranking matters when it comes to future playing opportunities.

ME.

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