Midterm report - halfway along the Road to Oman

With 14 events now played in the 2016 European Challenge Tour season, and with 14 still to come, et.com thought it worth looking at who has shone so far on the Road to Oman, and which 15 look set to earn European Tour graduation.

Smith still soaring

What a start to Challenge Tour life for Jordan Smith – winner in just his second event, the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Presented by Hassan Allam Properties, back in April.

The Englishman has continued to contend since then, with a tie for second in the D+D REAL Czech Challenge and a top three finish in the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts solidifying his Number One status.

French to the fore

More than any country, France can claim its golfers have truly been the stars of 2016 so far. First came Romain Langasque’s remarkable debut display in the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open when still an amateur, before another top five finish in his first event as a professional in Egypt, and two further top fives in Turkey and Slovakia.

Add to that victories for Clément Sordet in the Turkish Airlines Challenge, Damien Perrier in the D+D REAL Czech Challenge and Adrien Saddier in the Fred Olsen Challenge de España, plus the consistency of Matthieu Pavon – currently fourth in the Road to Oman Rankings – and the development of French golf is one of the stories of the season.

No repeats

14 events played, 14 unique winners – 11 of them first timers. Only Espen Kofstad, José-Filipe Lima and Sordet had lifted Challenge Tour trophies before this season, and none of the victors this year has managed to repeat the feat in 2016.

When you then consider that Lima, Sordet and KPMG Trophy winner Simon Forsstrom are not even in the top 15 despite their wins, this season has the potential to be the most competitive in Challenge Tour history.

A win – previously a reliable safety net for the rest of the season – is no longer enough, as the likes of Sebastian Heisele, Langasque, Pavon and Aaron Rai are currently in line to graduate to the European Tour due to their remarkable consistency, rather than relying on one-off big performances.

Where Olympians are made

The D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge, and in particular its dramatic denouement, will live long in the memory, as Kofstad – needing a top two finish to earn a Rio 2016 spot ahead of the following day’s qualification deadline – beat Langasque in a play-off.

The Norwegian came from four shots back on the final day to triumph, while Ryan Fox, needing a top seven finish to earn a place of his own to represent New Zealand, left it late before making back-to-back eagles and tie for fourth.

Lima, an emotional winner of the Najeti Open, will join them in the 60 man field, representing Portugal alongside last year’s Road to Oman Rankings winner Ricardo Gouveia – one of 22 former Challenge Tour players set to compete in golf’s historic return to the Olympic Games next month.

Major players

Langasque’s amateur status in Kenya was largely due to his ability to play in the Masters Tournament as reigning Amateur Champion providing he had not yet joined paid ranks.

A strong performance followed at Augusta National, the Frenchman making the cut and shooting 67 in the final round – including replicating Tiger Woods’ infamous chip-in on the 16^th.

Two months later and Sebastian Soderberg – winner in Kenya – earned his Major Championship debut when he came through Final Qualifying for the US Open Championship after a five-hole, five-man play-off at Walton Heath.

And a few weeks after the Swede tackled Oakmont, seven Challenge Tour stars teed it up at Royal Troon in the Open Championship – Dave Coupland, Ryan Evans, Scott Fernandez, James Heath, Paul Howard, Jack Senior and Sordet.