The DP World Tour Qualifying School Final Stage can mean different things to different people.
To some it is a chance to regain their card quickly after an uncharacteristically poor season, while for others it is an opportunity to make the next logical step up.
For Nick Carlson, it is a chance to find a golfing home and while there are two days left to play at INFINITUM, the American has already had an emotional and life-changing week.
This is a man who has never had status on any ranking tour before and who earlier this year was teaching, coaching and working as a delivery driver to make ends meet.
He then won a NEXT Golf Tour event on a simulator of Innisbrook Golf Resort, holing a mini driver on the 16th en route, and the US$50,000 prize money allowed him to pursue his golf career once more.
A first appearance in an Official World Golf Ranking sanctioned tournament would follow as he came through Monday Qualifying to play at the BioSteel Championship on what is now the PGA TOUR Americas, but he would miss the cut in Canada.
He would then tread a familiar path in Europe, coming through First Stage at Arlandastad Golf for the second year in a row before advancing at Isla Canela Links, where he fell short in 2023.
Now rounds of 70-68-72-68 mean he has made the cut in Tarragona and secured himself European Challenge Tour status for next season.
Of course, he could still crack the the top 20 over the final two days and make his way to the DP World Tour, but for Carlson, finding a home is already mission accomplished.
"I always knew I could do it," he said in a tearful post-round interview. "I've had such a good year, to come this far and then make the birdie on my 17th, it's so cool.
"It's icing on the cake to go deep. I like this golf course, it sets up nice for me on a couple of tee-shots.
"I'm going to have a Guinness and enjoy this night because I haven't had a beer in a long time and I'm excited to have one."
After starting on the tenth on the Lakes Course in round four, Carlson's chances of making the cut looked slim with bogeys on his opening hole and the 12th, but gains on the 13th, 16th, 18th, second and third reignited his chances before he dropped a shot on the next.
He then crucially birdied the eighth before a par on the ninth - his last - with the help of that magical mini driver brought emotional scenes with his caddie and fiancée Arna watching on.
Nick Carlson has been broke “at least a dozen times” Just six months ago he was working as a coach, a delivery driver, and substitute teacher.
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) November 10, 2024
Then he won a @NEXTGolfTour event and quit his jobs the next day. He is broke again but at final stage of @DPWTQSchool and in contention pic.twitter.com/brOStKgBlc
"On eight, I just told myself to look at the V on The Pro V and just hit a good stroke and I made it," he said.
"I hit my mini driver that I love so much on the ninth tee and said to Arna...I was so nervous, I was shaking and she just made sure I got something to drink and something to eat.
"I hit my favourite shot into the green and it was a two-putt.
"It just means the world."
Carlson now has a golfing home. Two more good days and it could be on the DP World Tour.
