Jordan Weber fired a back nine 29 to win the NEXT Golf Tour season finale and Order of Merit double to ensure playing opportunities on both the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour this summer.
The American will travel to Europe for the first time as a professional, and will tee it up in the European Open on the DP World Tour at the end of May before taking his place in the field at three consecutive events on the Challenge Tour in August – the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A, Vierumaki Finnish Challenge and the Indoor Golf Group Challenge in Sweden.
The 38-year-old’s incredible story comes following a ten-year hiatus from the professional game after he endured a case of the yips at Qualifying School in 2010.
It was only when he set up a golf simulator business with his brother-in-law that Weber returned to the sport, and success on a simulator has now paved the way for the next chapter of his story.
Weber recorded two wins in the seven-event simulator-based NEXT Golf Tour season to earn a $15,000 bonus for topping the Order of Merit, and is still coming to terms with what he achieved just over a month ago.
“There was happiness, tears and I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Honestly, things like this don’t typically happen to me so for it to actually happen, and now to be preparing to play on the DP World Tour, I’m so happy and just still in shock.
“It’s just crazy to me that all of this is happening. It’s so fun and I really want to keep it going as long as I can. I don’t want it to end.”
Weber admits that he entered the NEXT Golf Tour season with low expectations but began to dream after securing his first win in the third event of the season.
“I saw some of the players that were playing and I knew they were top level players playing on major tours, so I never felt like my game could compete with theirs,” he added. “I’d played well on a different simulator tour, so I thought maybe I could have a hot week and finish in the top 20 one week, or something like that.
“I was just hoping to have fun doing it, and then it kept progressing and I kept playing better and better.
“In the second event I played I finished only three shots behind the leader, so after that tournament I started to have this belief that maybe I could finish a little higher and get close to the leaders.
“From then I really started putting a lot of time into it, practicing a lot more, and then the third event was my first win.
“It was a strange journey for me, going from having really low expectations to being the champion. It was very surprising but I’m really proud of it.”
Weber is now focussing on the next few months where he will test himself against Europe’s elite, knowing that strong performances in any of his four starts could lead to future opportunities, something he dreamt about growing up.
“This is a huge opportunity for me, but at the same time I know that it’s a long shot,” he added. “If I play well, maybe it could lead to more.
“I have several challenges that I have to overcome in order to do well, so part of me knows I really need to take it in and enjoy it, but at the same time I really want to play well.
“I don’t compete week-in week-out, and I haven’t played a four-round tournament in 15 years, but I’m practicing as hard as I can.
“There’s going to be some doubts for sure and I’ll wonder if I should even be out there with them. I think if I can get over that, and hopefully feel some confidence and feel comfortable, maybe I can do something.”
