Recap: the final day of the 2016 Road to Oman

The final round at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final was always set to be a dramatic one but few could have forecast - or kept up with - the many twists and turns at Al Mouj Golf. Here's our recap of a great finale to the 2016 season.

Everything at stake

Going into day four in Muscat, there were still three big things to be decided: the winner of the tournament, the winner of the Road to Oman Rankings, and the identity of the top 16 who would graduate to the European Tour.

The last on that list was arguably where most interest lay, with a lot of points up for grabs in Oman and at least four players looking vulnerable around the bubble.

Pep Angles was the 16th-ranked player at the start of the week and had performed well under the pressure, but started his final round knowing there was still work to do.

Out in front, meanwhile, Bernd Ritthammer was the coolest man in the Omani heat, holding a two-shot advantage as he went after a third victory of the season.

Even a win would not have been enough for Ritthammer to top the Rankings, which was Jordan Smith's for the taking following his triumph in Ras Al Khaimah last week. Only Ryan Fox, out in the final group but three shots back, was in with a shot of the season-long title.

A stressful day for Stalter

The most uncomfortable man coming into the final day was Joël Stalter, whose second round of 78 looked to be very damaging as he slipped down the projected Rankings to sit right on the bubble.

An impressive 66 on day three was followed by a gutsy 68 in his final round, but with most players still out on course the Frenchman's fate was out of his own hands as he just had to wait nervously for a few hours of unbearable drama.

Saddier's late charge

Keeping up with the various permutations on the final day is almost impossible, but Adrien Saddier's fourth round was very quickly putting him in the running for both victory and European Tour graduation.

The Frenchman shot a 65 on day three and continued that fine scoring under the most intense pressure to climb the leaderboard and move into the top 16 of the projected rankings - at the expense of compatriot Stalter.

Stays up@Saddier_Adrien bogeys the last to drop to fourth - doesn't look like it'll be enough, Thomas Detry stealing 16th spot back pic.twitter.com/QM6bmle7V3

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) November 5, 2016

Third on his own would have been enough for Saddier, but a pulled drive down the last and a failure to get up-and-down from the greenside bunker gave him his first dropped shot of the day right when it mattered the most, and his 66 was not quite enough - he finished 17th, just 732 points below the mark.

Dantorp dreaming

The equation was far simpler for Jens Dantorp to claim a European Tour spot: win or bust.

The Swede was 41st in the Rankings coming into the week but, like Saddier, was in inspired form in Muscat, picking up four birdies on the front nine to close on Ritthammer before an eagle, and dropped shots from the leader, suddenly brought him level as he stepped onto the 18th tee.

Ritthammer was in the group behind, meaning Dantorp would set the clubhouse target, but - identically to Saddier - he too failed to make par from the same bunker and made his first bogey of the day to sit on 20 under par and give a nervous Stalter another reprieve.

Hammer Time

A one-shot lead playing the last, and European Tour status already guaranteed, took a little of the pressure off Ritthammer, and he duly made a regulation par to secure his third win of the season and end Dantorp's hopes.

2016 = the year of Jordan Smith

Earlier, and away from any drama, Smith had sealed the Road to Oman Rankings when it became clear that Fox's charge had faded. The Englishman didn't finish in any great style, bogeying the last for a 71 and a share of 17th place, but a proud and tearful mother awaited him as he walked off the 18th green.

The Class of 2016

So, at the end of the most competitive Challenge Tour season in recent memory, the lucky 16 going to the European Tour next year were decided.

Jordan Smith, Bernd Ritthammer, Alexander Knappe, Ryan Fox, Sam Walker, Matthieu Pavon, Alexander Bjӧrk, Dylan Frittelli, Romain Langasque, Duncan Stewart, Marcus Armitage, José-Filipe Lima, Damien Perrier, Pep Angles, Thomas Detry and Joël Stalter, we wish you good luck in your endeavours - do us proud.