With a $500,000 prize fund at stake on the final day of The Foshan Open, it could be a huge 24 hours in the careers of so many players, including European Tour-chasing leader Borja Virto Astudillo. We look at the players who need something big in China…
Chasing European Tour Graduation
Haydn Porteous & Borja Virto Astudillo
At 12th place and 15th place in the Road to Oman Rankings, respectively, Porteous and Virto Astudillo would secure their place on The European Tour next year with a victory, and possibly even a top three. Maybe, just maybe, if one were to win, they might also enter the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, with a shot at finishing the season as the Challenge Tour Number One.
Björn Åkesson & Joachim B Hansen
A maiden Challenge Tour victory in China for the Swede would all but secure a return to The European Tour, moving him from 21st place to comfortably inside the top ten of the Road to Oman, while the Dane sits in 33rd position and would also guarantee a return to the big time with a win. If victory escaped them, a high finish would still go some way in earning graduation.
Max Orrin
This Englishman just loves the end of a Challenge Tour season and he has hit form just at the right time once again. He has moved into position heading into the final round at The Foshan Open and a big final round could move him inside the top 15 of the Road to Oman, from 19th, heading to a course upon which he won last year – Almouj Golf, The Wave in the Omani capital of Muscat.
Over-taking from the outside lane on the Road to Oman
Edouard Dubois
The Frenchman entered the week in China right on the parapet, in 45th position, and with only the top 45 in the Road to Oman Rankings at the end of this week progressing to the season finale in the middle east, he has probably already done enough to secure his spot. A win or a top five finish, however, would move him into a strong position for a top 15 spot and European Tour graduation.
Chris Hanson
The Englishman is playing his fourth season on the Challenge Tour and has been making steady progress each year, but he is yet to partake in the season’s grand finale. He will surely be desperate to book a place at the NGO Golf Classic Grand Final and a big final day at an event which he loves would certainly copper-fasten his berth, moving upward from 48th position in the Road to Oman.
Chris Selfridge
The Northern Irishman needed a good week at The Foshan Open, as he sits outside the cut off for the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in 56th position on the Road to Oman. He has duly stepped up to the plate so far this week and a top ten finish may just be enough to add another week to his Challenge Tour season at the very least, while a top three would significantly boost his European Tour hopes.
And the others…
John Hahnsits in 30th place in the Road to Oman and is in the top ten going into the final round in China, so if he goes low on Sunday there could a big dangling carrot of a European Tour card within his reach in two weeks’ time in Oman.Steven Tileyof England has the bit between his teeth as he looks to move up from 63rd position and book a place at the Grand Final in Oman, while former European Tour winnerMartin Wiegeleneeds a really big final round if he is to secure his Challenge Tour status next year.
