Last month's DP World Tour Championship once again provided a fitting climax to the 2022 campaign, which saw 13 players earn their maiden Tour titles in the 50th anniversary season of the European Tour group.
In a memorable campaign which saw 43 tournaments played in 21 countries, it seems fitting the DP World Tour’s Global Schedule saw first-time champions emerge from three different continents.
The Tour has again had a wide-reaching impact with the first ever female winner crowned and a country celebrating a champion for the first time.
Here, we recap the stories of the players to break into the winner’s circle during the 2022 season.
Thriston Lawrence
In the first event of the DP World Tour era, Thriston Lawrence celebrated his breakthrough win on home soil at the Joburg Open. The emergence of a new COVID-19 strain saw the tournament reduced to 54 holes, but further inclement weather saw the result declared after two rounds. Making his 22nd DP World Tour start, home hope Lawrence matched his lowest rounds over the opening two days, with a pair of 65s, to head into the third round with a four-shot lead. Victory saw Lawrence secure the added bonus of a place in the field for The 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. "It's so surreal," he said afterwards. "I don't think anyone thought it would turn out this way, to finish on a Saturday afternoon but I'm just really thankful. It's a life-changing moment for me. It's a lifelong dream that has come true.”
Lawrence claimed his second DP World Tour later in the season at the Omega European Masters in the Swiss Alps as he went on to become the first South African to be crowned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.
Shaun Norris
The DP World Tour returned to South Africa in March for back-to-back events, with another home hope emerging victorious in the Steyn City Championship. Shaun Norris held off the challenge of countryman Dean Burmester in a final-round duel to claim his maiden Tour win. That was after a slow start saw him lose his overnight 54-hole four-shot lead as Burmester opened up a lead after just seven holes of the final day. But, trailing by two shots through ten holes, Norris birdied three of the next seven to take the lead again. His birdie at the 17th combined with a double bogey for Burmester gave him a three-shot lead going down the last which he held onto with a closing par. "I don't think words can describe how I feel right now,” he said.
Ewen Ferguson
The third player to break into the DP World Tour winner’s circle was Challenge Tour graduate Ewen Ferguson. The Scotsman withstood tough windy conditions to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by one shot. He began the final round three shots adrift of the lead and his chances of victory appeared more unlikely after a double bogey at the second hole. However, after a run of nine straight pars, he made a chip-in eagle at the 16th to earn a share of the lead. He closed out his round with a 16-footer for birdie before seeing players behind him unable to catch his total of seven under par. Ferguson’s maiden professional victory saw him become the third Scottish winner of the tournament, following Andrew Coltart and Paul Lawrie. Ferguson said: "I just can't believe it at all. Years and years of hard work.”
In August, Ferguson won his second Tour title at the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics in Northern Ireland.
Scottie Scheffler
The first WGC event of the 2022 season saw Scottie Scheffler underline his status as the world’s most in-form golfer as he claimed his third win in just five starts to move to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking. The American defeated countryman Kevin Kisner 4&3 in the final of the WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club. In 42 days, Scheffler, a beaten finalist in last year’s edition, had gone from his maiden PGA TOUR win to the summit of the men’s game. That remarkable ascent saw him beat the previous record held by Tiger Woods by 210 days. "I never really got that far in my dreams," said Scheffler, who went on to win his maiden Major Championship at The Masters Tournament in April. "I never made it that far. I just love playing golf and I love competing and I'm just happy to be out here.”
Adri Arnaus
The trend of players claiming their breakthrough DP World Tour success on home soil continued with the victory of Spaniard Adri Arnaus at the Catalunya Championship. Arnaus outlasted South African Oliver Bekker at the end of the six-hole play-off to claim a remarkable victory that appeared highly unlikely at the start of the day. He began the final round seven shots off the lead but came home in five-under 31 to set the clubhouse target at 11 under, which was later matched by Bekker as he signed for a level-par 72. The first five play-off holes saw both players make matching pars, before a par for Arnaus on the first visit down the 17th in the play-off saw him seal a dramatic win at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness. "It’s a dream come true," he said. "I’ve been looking for this one for a while. To be able to come through here, where I practise in the summers, they take care of me so well.”
Kalle Samooja
Sometimes players face the emotional toil of waiting it out to see whether they will be crowned champion. That was the case for Kalle Samooja at the Porsche European Open in June. The Finn began the day seven shots off the lead but shot a course-record 64 on the formidable Porsche Nord Course at Green Eagle Golf Courses to claim a two-shot success. Back-to-back birdies over the closing two holes ultimately proved decisive, with the latter starters unable to catch his closing total of six under par. Victory, confirmed following a two-hour wait, saw Samooja claim one of the ten spots on offer for the U.S. Open later that month through the European Qualifying Series. "It is truly special. It's been a long journey. I've been close a few times,” he said, having previously finished runner-up on two prior occasions.
Linn Grant
The very next event on the saw history made as Linn Grant became the first female winner on the DP World Tour. The Swede only turned professional in August 2021, but her talent was without question having subsequently gone on to become a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, also claiming the season-long Race to Costa Del Sol title. But it is unquestionably her triumph on home soil at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed that brought Grant to the wider public consciousness. Grant produced impeccable golf in front of her home fans all week at Halmstad Golf Club as she stormed to a runaway nine-shot victory – the biggest margin on the DP World Tour in 2022. A flawless closing 64, featuring eight birdies, sealed the deal for the impressive Grant. Asked if she particularly wanted to beat the men this week, Grant said: "For sure - the most important thing! It's a nice feeling. All week I just felt like it's the girls against the guys and whoever picks up that trophy represents the field."
Adrian Meronk
Further history was made a few weeks later when Adrian Meronk became the first Polish winner on the DP World Tour. The 2019 Challenge Tour graduate shot a sensational 66, which included an eagle and five birdies, in the final round to finish at 20 under par and win the Horizon Irish Open. His three-shot victory was warmly received by the sold-out crowds at Mount Juliet Estate. Having already recorded six top-ten finishes earlier on in the 2022 campaign, the breakthrough victory had certainly been on the cards. "It's such a relief to be honest,” he said. “I've been quite close a couple of times this year, and to finally open the door, it's just a dream come true.”
Trey Mullinax
Running the same week as the Genesis Scottish Open, the Barbasol Championship presented DP World Tour members who were not in the Rolex Series event’s field the opportunity to play on the PGA TOUR. Trey Mullinax birdied the 72nd hole to win the event at Keene Trace Golf Club and punch the final ticket to The 150th Open Championship the following week. Mullinax, who started the final round two strokes behind 54-hole leader Matti Schmid, battled with playing partner Kevin Streelman down the stretch before his decisive putt sealed his maiden victory in Kentucky. “It was a long day today, it was a grind," Mullinax said. "But we stayed sharp, we stayed focused pretty much all day. We knew it was going to be a grind, we knew we were going to get wore down, but we had to just keep at it, keep firing and at the end of the day I walked away with the low score.”
Chez Reavie
A week later saw another American emerge victorious on home soil as Chez Reavie won the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club. He held off a final-day charge by Sweden’s Alex Noren to win the Modified Stableford event by one point. Beginning the final day with a six-point lead, Reavie was pushed all the way by 2018 Ryder Cup member Noren, who made a late decision to travel to California earlier in the week after being first reserve for The Open Championship at St Andrews. "It's amazing," said Reavie. "It was stressful out there today with the wind and missing some putts early, and was fortunate to make some good putts coming in and pull it off.”
Sean Crocker
Fairmont St Andrews played host to the fourth first-time American winner on the DP World Tour last season as Sean Crocker claimed a wire-to-wire victory at the Hero Open. It was an emotional week for Crocker as he revealed the emotional strain he had been under earlier in the year following a series of missed cuts. Beginning the final day with a two-shot lead, he was forced to show great fighting spirit as Eddie Pepperell fired a brilliant Sunday 65. But Crocker was up to the challenge in Scotland and a closing par saw him finish one shot better than the Englishman. "Winning a golf tournament is not easy. And Eddie did not make that easy for me either,” Crocker said. "I was nervous. I've felt pressure like that before but it's my first pro tournament (win). That putt looked like it was 20 feet, that hole looked like it was half-an-inch wide. Right off the face I knew it was a well-struck putt and as I looked up and I saw it drop I was telling myself 'don't start crying'.”
Maximilian Kieffer
In a tournament reduced to 54 holes due to heavy rain on day three, Maximilian Kieffer ended his wait for a maiden DP World Tour at the D+D Real Czech Masters. The German shot a final round of 66 to edge out overnight leader Gavin Green by one shot. A birdie at the 17th – set up by a pinpoint second shot – effectively earned him the title as Malaysian Green saw his birdie putt on the final green to force a play-off lip out. Kieffer had finished runner-up on four previous occasions on the DP World Tour and was understandably emotional at finally getting over the line. "It's tough right now to say what it means,” he said. “It's great, I am lost for words a little bit."
Yannik Paul
The Challenge Tour has long proven a great breeding ground for future DP World Tour winners and Yannik Paul was the latest example when he sealed his maiden Tour title at the Mallorca Golf Open in October. The German rookie made a clutch birdie putt on the 18th green to finish one shot ahead of countryman Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Englishman Paul Waring. Paul made three birdies and four bogeys on a tricky afternoon for scoring at Son Muntaner Golf Club, finishing the tournament on 15 under par to enter the winner's circle for the first time in his 26th DP World Tour appearance. "I'm speechless, honestly, I'm just so happy,” he said. "My girlfriend and I, we worked a lot on my mental side and we were dreaming that she would be here for my first win, and she's here now, it's unbelievable.”
