Edoardo Molinari birdied the final hole to secure a one-stroke victory at the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School and become one of 21 players to earn their DP World Tour cards at INFINITUM.
Molinari signed for a four under par round of 67 to go with rounds of 65-61-72-68-66 and reach 29 under par for the week, one clear of Swede Niklas Lemke who secured his graduation with a seven under par bogey-free 64 on the final day.
The three-time DP World Tour winner and Ryder Cup Vice Captain returned to the tee on Thursday to conclude his fifth round after the entirety of day six was washed out due to rain in Tarragona, before batting it out at the top with Lemke during round six.
Molinari, who at one point trailed the Swede by two strokes, was delighted to end the week on top and secure a swift return to golf’s Global Tour.
“It was very good to finish on top,” he said. “I’m relieved to come out on top in the end. I feel I kind of deserve it after the way I played all week.
“I think on such a long week, it is important to get off to a good start and obviously it was the ideal start after two days. I couldn’t have dreamt about being 17 under par after two days.
“It means a lot to keep my card, especially as I’m 43 now. I’m towards the end of my career so any chance I get to play, I want to take it.
“It’s not been my best year but to finish like this and now to go home and be with my wife and kids, to spend time with the family, and then plan out next year, it’s something I’m looking forward to.”
American Davis Bryant fired a bogey-free nine under par 62 to finish in third place on 27 under par to secure playing status on the DP World Tour for the first time after coming through all three stages.
Joining Bryant in coming through all three stages to earn their DP World Tour cards were Spaniard Albert Boneta, Australian Danny List and Dan Erickson, Ryggs Johnston and Corey Shaun from America.
There were storylines aplenty on the final day in Spain, with Armenian Jean Bekirian ending the week in tenth to become the first Armenian to hold a card on the DP World Tour, with a four under par 67 on the final day seeing him make sure of playing privileges on the 2025 Race to Dubai.
Edoardo Molinari is heading back to the DP World Tour as the winner of Final Stage. 🏆#DPWTQSchool pic.twitter.com/kHTLLVK4aB
— DP World Tour Q-School (@DPWTQSchool) November 14, 2024
“I have no words to describe it,” he said. “I am so happy because my mother and my father are here with me this week. I turned pro at 16 and I've done everything alone with my family and my team, so for me it's a great achievement.
“What I've done the last two rounds, to have a DP World Tour card is a dream. It was very stressful today and I didn't sleep yesterday, but today I played my best golf of the week. I'm proud to have played the golf I did under that pressure.”
South African Wilco Nienaber saved his best round of the week for last, signing for an eight under 63 to climb into the graduation spots, with an eagle at the closing hole enough to book Italian Gregorio de Leo’s place on the DP World Tour next season.
Dutchman Wil Besseling made birdies on holes 16, 17 and 18 to earn his card in dramatic fashion, and Danish amateur Jacob Skov Olesen concluded a memorable week by finishing in a share of 18th alongside Besseling to make sure of his graduation.
The final leaderboard can be found here, with the top 20 and ties receiving coveted DP World Tour cards.
Final Stage Qualifiers
Edoardo Molinari
Niklas Lemke
Davis Bryant
Albert Boneta
Alexander George Frances
Wilco Nienaber
Clément Sordet
Ryggs Johnston
Bastien Amat
Jean Bekirian
Joshua Berry
Justin Harding
Ben Schmidt
Benjamin Follett-Smith
Corey Shaun
Gregorio de Leo
Dan Erickson
Jacob Skov Olesen
Wil Besseling
Tadeáš Tadek
Danny List
