The leading 45 European Tour hopefuls are making their final preparations for the Challenge Tour Grand Final, and you should too. Here are the five key things to know ahead of the biggest week of the year.
Class of 2019
It is all about finishing the year in the top 15 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. Doing so earns life-changing promotion to the European Tour, and because of that, you will want to keep your eye on the projected Road to Mallorca Rankings as the Grand Final comes down the stretch. The best way to follow the tournament in real time is through the Tournament Feed on the new European Tour website and app, which will feature a live blog and up-to-the-minute social media coverage of the Challenge Tour Grand Final.
Anyone can graduate
While some players, like Road to Mallorca Rankings leader Calum Hill, will be graduating to the European Tour regardless of how they play at the Challenge Tour Grand Final, there are some players, like last-man-in Ugo Coussaud, who will need to produce some magic to make the European Tour. Still, with it is possible for any player in the field to earn a European Tour card by winning the €420,000 event, every player should – and will – have victory in their sights.
It will come right down to the wire
Pedro Figueiredo began the season-ending event occupying 17th position in the Rankings in 2018, with work to do to force his way into the top 15.
As the tournament wore on, Figueiredo found himself embroiled in a multi-player battle for the last European Tour card. Walking up the final hole of the season, he knew he needed a birdie to have any chance of passing Englishmen Tom Murray and Max Orrin in the Rankings.
He calmly rolled in his 20-foot birdie putt on the final green of the season, moving from tied 17th to tied 13th on the Grand Final leaderboard, which earned him over 3,000 additional Ranking points, just enough for the 15th and final European Tour card— a margin of 604 points— proving just how important every shot is at the Challenge Tour Grand Final.
Every spot matters
Even for those players guaranteed to graduate to the European Tour, there is still plenty to play for at the Grand Final. All 15 graduates will be placed in Category 15 on the European Tour’s access list. The higher a graduate finishes on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, the higher they will be ranked next season, which could be the difference between playing in some of the European Tour’s bigger events.
New home, sweet home
The stunning island of Mallorca will host the Challenge Tour Grand Final for the first time in the 25-year history of the season-ending tournament. Club de Golf Alcanada, which is also hosting a Challenge Tour event for the first time, was designed by legendary course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr and opened in 2003. Club de Golf Alcanada is considered one of the finest courses in Mallorca and boasts world class practice facilities and first-rate amenities.
