All roads lead to Oman, with just the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final to go before the top 15 in the Road to Oman Rankings are confirmed and their European Tour cards for next season secured.
The Foshan Open, with its large prize fund of $500,000, saw significant changes to the Rankings, with a number of players using the penultimate event of the Challenge Tour season to make timely moves up the table.
Here’s everything you need to know before we head to Muscat next week, where 15 heroes will be made:
Ricardo returns to the summit
Having led the Rankings for much of the season, Ricardo Gouveia had to watch as Sebastien Gros’ victory at the Kazakhstan Open saw the Frenchman climb above him and take the number one spot.
The Portuguese 24 year old responded with the kind of relentless consistency that has defined his year, finishing tied sixth at the EMC Challenge Open and tied third at the Foshan Open – his tenth and 11thtop ten finishes this season.
Those results mean he is now €3,980 ahead of Gros, with everything to play going into the season finale in Oman – though that does not mean it is quite a two-horse race…
Virto vying for victory
Borja Virto Astudillo’s second win of the season at the Foshan Open (see highlights above) means the Spaniard is now also in with a shot of topping the Rankings.
He trails Gouveia by €22,160, but with €64,000 available to the winner of the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, the 24 year old would top the Rankings with victory if Gouveia finished outside the top two.
Also in the mix is Bjӧrn Åkesson, the big mover last week after his runner-up finish in China, who now sits in fourth place in the Rankings, €56,000 behind Gouveia.
Victory for the 26 year old Swede would give him an outside chance of topping the Rankings, though he would need all three men above him to finish low down the field.
Late climbers – Hahn’s the man
Just €21,000 separates Andrew McArthur in tenth place in the Rankings and Daan Huizing in 25th, so there really is all to play for in Oman, where a strong week from anyone in the field could secure their European Tour status for 2016.
John Hahn looks to be one player who has timed his late push to perfection, tying for third in China to move up into the 15thand final graduation spot with one week remaining, holding a slender advantage of just €91 over 16thplaced Mads Søgaard of Denmark.
Joachim B Hansen, also tied for third, made a similar jump to Hahn, with the Dane now in 17thspot and knowing that a spot on The European Tour is in his own hands heading into the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.
One thing that is certain is that there will be drama in Oman, as all 45 players in the field know that a timely good week could change their careers and their lives.
