Thomas Detry was ranked 1,802nd in the Official World Golf Rankings just over six months ago. He ended the year at a career high 195th after enjoying a mesmeric rise through the game, which saw the 23 year old turn professional, win a European Challenge Tour event, graduate to the European Tour and post a top three finish in his first European Tour start - all in the space of just six months.
From winning national championships, to competing in the Junior Ryder Cup, the former World Amateur Number Eight has been hotly-tipped as a future star in his home nation, and beyond, for some time.
The 23 year old fully justified his billing in the 2016 Road to Oman on the Challenge Tour, after making an outstanding start to life as a professional with two top ten finishes, after joining the paid ranks in his home event, the KPMG Trophy. Detry went on to seal a top 16 spot with further top ten finishes in the two most lucrative tournaments on the Road to Oman, the Kazakhstan Open and the Foshan Open.
However, the highlight of his season was undoubtedly at the Bridgestone Challenge, where he posted a four round score of 29 under par to win by 12 shots and break the record for the largest winning margin in Challenge Tour history.
Detry, who is close friends with fellow Belgian Thomas Pieters, a player he admits he is motivated by, made his presence felt again in his first European Tour start at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the start of December, where a 13 under par total saw the Brussels native finish third.
Detry is consistent as well, having not missed a single cut during the 2016 Road to Oman. He likes to keep things simple too:
“I now just try and play without expectations, and would say that if you know you are playing well don’t change anything – just keep playing your own game and everything is going to be fine.”
Watch out for the latest young golfer off the Belgian production line in 2017 then.
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