Throughout the 2022 season, the DP World Tour teamed up with Fortinet to bring you the Fortinet Threat Score holes - the toughest on Tour.
These holes tested the world's very best and were often key in determining who was claiming titles as the season progressed.
Here, we look at what proved to be the top ten hardest holes from the 810 that made up the 2022 DP World Tour season across 45 courses.
Difficulty Rank: 10th
Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale
Course: The Twenty Ten Course, Celtic Manor
Hole 14: 485 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.45
Playing just shy of half a stroke over par, the par four 14th at Celtic Manor rounds out our top ten toughest holes on the DP World Tour in the 2022 season. This is the only hole in our top ten rundown which saw an eagle made, while there were 49 birdies across the four days. The total of 64 double-bogeys or worse across the week is 25 more than the next highest total, emphasising the challenge it posed to the field. Tournament winner Shinkwin was two under par, birdieing the hole in the opening two rounds, while Connor Syme was the only other player from the top ten to be under par on the 14th.
Difficulty Rank: 9th
The 150th Open
Course: St Andrews, Old Course
Hole 17: 451 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.46
As was the case at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the par-four 17th at St Andrews’ Old Course maintained its track record of being the hardest hole in The Open Championship. Only 22 birdies were made, with Viktor Hovland the only player in the top five on the leaderboard to play it under par. Tournament winner Cameron Smith and runner-up Cameron Young both parred the hole across all four days. Despite bogeying the hole in the opening three rounds, Jordan Spieth managed to finish in the top ten.
Difficulty Rank: 8th
ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics
Course: Massereene Golf Club
Hole 17: 476 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.46
The 17th hole at Massereene proved to be the toughest of the week as it, alongside Galgorm, played host to leading men and women players from the DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour in Northern Ireland. In the one round played at Massereene by the full male field across the four days, 54 bogeys or worse were made at the 17th. Tournament winner Ewen Ferguson was one of just eight players to make a birdie, with only one other player in the top ten and ties doing so.
Difficulty Rank: 7th
The Masters Tournament
Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Hole 11: 520 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.48
The par-four 11th at Augusta was among the holes which underwent alterations ahead of the 2022 Masters. Historically the second hardest hole in the history of the Masters Tournament, the tees were moved back 15 yards and to the golfer’s left. The move provided a greater risk to players who missed to the left and thus resulted in tougher approach shots into the green. Scottie Scheffler parred the hole all four days as he claimed his maiden Major Championship. The top five players on the leaderboard played the 11th in a combined two-over-par, with only Cameron Smith (-1) playing it at par or better.
Difficulty Rank: 6th
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Course: St Andrews, Old Course
Hole 17: 495 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.49
Once again, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was played across three courses – the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. The Road Hole at The Home of Golf was statistically the hardest, playing all but half a stroke over par. Despite many of the field having played the Old Course a few months earlier at The 150th Open Championship, only 15 birdies were made by the field across the four rounds at St Andrews, with those playing in the final day making two visits. Tournament winner Ryan Fox played the hole in one over par, securing victory - his second Tour win of the season - by one shot despite making a bogey at the 17th in the final round. Runner-up pair Callum Shinkwin and Alex Noren were one under and level par for the hole, respectively.
Difficulty Rank: 5th
DS Automobiles Italian Open
Course: Marco Simone Golf & Country Club
Hole 8: 503 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.50
In an insight into what might be to come at this year’s Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, the par-four eighth proved the toughest hole at last season’s DS Automobiles Italian Open. A mere 29 birdies were made by the entire field for the week. In addition, there were 45 double-bogeys or worse, considerably more than next highest-scoring hole. Robert MacIntyre mixed a bogey in the second round with a birdie in the third round as he played the hole in level par for the week. Matt Fitzpatrick, who lost out to fellow European Ryder Cup hopeful MacIntyre in a play-off for the title, was one over after making a five in the third round. None of the top ten finishers managed to finish the week under par at the eighth, testament to the challenge it posed.
Difficulty Rank: 4th
Porsche European Open
Course: Green Eagle Golf Courses
Hole 6: 475 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.51
Just one hole separated the toughest and second toughest at Green Eagle Golf Courses last season. The sixth played half a stroke over par across the week. Over the four rounds of play, 25 birdies were made by the field - only the par-three 13th saw fewer birdies. Samooja birdied the sixth in both the third and fourth rounds as he landed his maiden Tour win. In comparison, his nearest challengers Wil Besseling, Richard Mansell and Victor Perez all parred the hole on each day. Other than Samooja, Marcel Schneider was the only player in the top ten to be under par on the sixth.
Difficulty Rank: 3rd
Porsche European Open
Course: Green Eagle Golf Courses
Hole 4: 488 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.53
Widely regarded as one of the toughest examinations on the DP World Tour, Green Eagles Golf Courses - host venue of the Porsche European Open – boasted two of the ten hardest holes in the 2022 campaign. The fourth, a 488-yard par four, was the hardest hole on the course at last year’s edition. Tournament winner Kalle Samooja played the hole in one over par, missing the fairway once across the four rounds as he made a bogey in the first round. Of the top ten and ties on the leaderboard at the end of the event, nobody managed to play the fourth under par. The hole also produced 58 double-bogeys or worse – eight more than the next highest across the week.
Difficulty Rank: 2nd
Genesis Scottish Open
Course: The Renaissance Club
Hole 18: 483 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.62
For the first time, the Genesis Scottish Open was co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR with 14 of the top 15 players in the Official World Golf Ranking at the time in the field. Despite the calibre of the players on show at the third Rolex Series event of the season, the closing hole at The Renaissance Club played more than six-tenths of a stroke over par. It only brought about six birdies across the four rounds of tournament golf. The top five finishers in the tournament were a testament to the difficulty, playing it in a combined 11 over par. Tournament winner Xander Schauffele played this hole in three-over-par for the week.
Difficulty Rank: 1st
Joburg Open
Course: Firethorn Course
Hole 2: 503 yards – Par 4
Scoring average to par: +0.67
The Joburg Open marked the inaugural event of the DP World Tour era in November 2021. For many players, the par-four second on the Firethorn Course at Randpark Golf Club proved the hardest hole they faced all season. In a tournament reduced to 36 holes due to inclement weather, only nine birdies were recorded with no eagles or better. In total, 158 bogeys or worse were made across the three days of golf that could be played at the season opener. Thriston Lawrence parred the second hole in both rounds as he claimed the first of two titles on Tour in his rookie season. Despite going double bogey-bogey across both rounds, Yannik Paul managed to finish in a share of eighth place.
