Johan Edfors achieved his first European Challenge Tour victory in two years at the Terre dei Consoli Open to catapult up 140 places to 33rdposition in the Road to Oman Rankings, which gives him a fantastic opportunity of competing alongside the top 45 in the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, set to take place at the spectacular Al Mouj Golf, Muscat from Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 November.
The Swede was a three-time European Tour champion in 2006 but lost his Tour card in 2013 after some personal issues, and again in 2015. He has only played six events on this season’s Challenge Tour but has a realistic chance, with four events to play, of finishing in the top 15 and making a full return to the Race to Dubai.
“It’s nice to be playing some decent golf again, it’s been a while,” said the 41 year old after sealing a winner’s cheque for €40,000. “I’ve been practicing a lot and started hitting the ball well on the range; I just haven’t been able to bring it out on the course.
“This whole season has been really weird, so I don’t know what happens now – it’s not in my plans to go to China, but I should be in the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final and also in Final Stage of Qualifying School, so that makes it a little bit easier.”
With 22 days remaining before the top 45 compete for a prize fund of €400,000 in Muscat, a couple of other players made significant moves on the Road to Oman after performing impressively in Italy.
Spaniard Jordi Garcia Pinto climbed to 34thfrom 71stafter finishing joint runner-up with Edfors’ compatriot Alexander Bjӧrk. This superb result has almost cemented Pinto’s spot in the coveted Oman field and gives Bjӧrk a brilliant chance of finishing in the top three at the end of the season and winning a share of the lucrative €60,000 Bonus Pool, as he has risen from ninth to fifth.
All eyes will turn to the Middle East in the business end of the season as the players jostle for positions on the rankings in a bid to breach the all-important top 15 and the inaugural €350,000 Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Challenge in the UAE, taking place the week before the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, will present the final opportunity for those outside the top 45 to secure their spot in the Oman field.
