A host of European Tour stars made significant strides on the European Tour's Race to Dubai Rankings at the 83rd Masters Tournament including Xander Schauffele, who climbed into the top ten with a runner-up finish,just one stroke behind Tiger Woods who completed one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history to don the iconic Green Jacket for a fifth time at Augusta National.
Schauffele, who was making only his second appearance at the Masters Tournament, started the week off with a one over par 73 but bounced back superbly on day two with a spellbinding 65 to sit one off the lead heading into the weekend. Rounds of 70 and 68 followed to put him in touching distance of a first Major Championship on 12 under par but Woods wasn't to be denied a 15th Major as the former World Number One posted a tournament total of 13 under par. With his runner-up finish, the 25 year old collects 746.7 Race to Dubai points to jump from 67th to eighth on the Rankings with 957.5 points for the season.
“It was an awesome experience, first off," said the American, who finished fourth in last year's Race to Dubai. "What I witnessed; I know it's what everyone is going to talk about. It's hard to really feel bad about how I played, because I just witnessed history. It was really cool coming down the stretch, all the historic holes, Amen Corner, 15, 16, Tiger making the roars.
“I was trying to push myself, but I feel like I got a very full Masters experience here in my second year. I'm not one bit sad. I told my caddie on the last hole that we just proved to ourselves that we can win on this property.”
Reigning Race to Dubai champion Francesco Molinari looked set to pick up a second Major Championship in the space of nine months after holding a two-stroke lead on the 12th tee. But the Italian put the ball into the water for a double bogey before making the same mistake on the 15th which led to his second double of the day to drop down the leaderboard.
A birdie on the 17th secured a slice of fifth position for the 2018 Open Championship winner which saw him climb to sixth from 14th on the Rankings with a season tally of 1014.8 points. American star Tony Finau also shared fifth placed and receives 331 Race to Dubai points which moves him up to 29th from 107th on 471.9 points.
Meanwhile, Spaniard Jon Rahm secured a second consecutive top ten at the tournament after rounds of 69, 70, 71 and 68 saw him finish tied ninth. The 24 year old makes his way up to 49th from 115th on the Rankings with a total of 329.1 points.
Justin Harding and Ian Poulter kept up their fine form on the Race to Dubai schedule with both men finishing 12th alongside American trio Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar and Justin Thomas on eight under par. The duo strengthen their grip on third and four place respectively after receiving 154.8 points.
Race to Dubai leader Shane Lowry was knocked off top spot by Kevin Kisner after the American took up European Tour membership following the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play. The 1500 points he won at Austin Country Club alongside the 106.5 points picked up at the Masters Tournament give the 35 year old the lead at the top of the Rankings on 1606.5 points.
The top 50 players in the Race to Dubai Rankings will contest the season-ending US$8millionDP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from November 21-24 where US$3 million will be up for grabs for the winner, making it the richest prize in world golf.
