John Parry seals automatic DP World Tour promotion with win in Italy

John Parry is returning to the DP World Tour after claiming a third European Challenge Tour win of the season at the Italian Challenge Open.

The Englishman had already won the Delhi Challenge and Blot Open de Bretagne in 2024 to sit second on the Road to Mallorca but now joins Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen in earning instant promotion.

It is the first time two players have gained instant promotion in one season since 2014 but there could be as many as four in 2024, with Joakim Lagergren and Joel Moscatel both currently having won twice.

A Challenge Tour graduate in 2009, Parry won the Vivendi Cup in his debut season and won the Final Stage at the Qualifying School in 2012, also sealing graduation in 2014 and 2016 as he looked to truly establish himself on tour.

By 2021 he was playing on the EuroPro Tour but he made it back to the Challenge Tour in 2022 and once again found his way back to the DP World Tour via the Road to Mallorca.

He lost his card last season but after capping a stellar 2024 campaign with a one-shot win in Italy, he will once again return to the DP World Tour and play a ninth full season in 2025.

He is now planning on playing the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship the next two weeks but will return to the Challenge Tour for the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by the R&A at the end of October.

"It’s fantastic," he said. "I’ve got a free hit on the DP World Tour now for the rest of season and you never know what can happen and I’ve obviously got next year as well.

“It’s changed the schedule a little bit, but I’ll pick and choose which ones I want to play now.

“Because it’s been a while since I’ve won before this year, it gives you that little spark that you can still do it. The other thing is finding that consistency.

"I’ve never won more than once before in a season so to win three times is a goal that I didn’t think was achievable.”