American John Walsh won Stage 2 of the Trackman-powered NEXT Golf Tour World Series, moving a step closer to fulfiling a dream of playing on the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour.
“Getting starts on the DP World Tour and the HotelPlanner Tour really means everything to me,” said Walsh after a dramatic victory at Stage 2 of the NEXT World Series at Pinehurst No. 2.
Walsh produced a flawless, bogey-free five-under-par 65 in the final round to surge past Czech national Simon Zach and claim the title by a single shot.
Zach set the early pace with rounds of 66 and 65 to finish nine under par and secure solo second place, but Walsh’s late momentum proved unstoppable.
The win lifts Walsh to the top of the Season 4 Order of Merit, a major step toward the season-long prize: one DP World Tour start and six HotelPlanner Tour exemptions for the overall champion.
Reflecting on what that opportunity would mean, the 32-year-old added: “It would mean everything. An opportunity like that doesn’t come around very often.
"Playing professionally can be a huge financial commitment, speaking from personal experience.
"Having a guaranteed start on either tour is one of the biggest reasons to keep grinding these NEXT Tour events. It really means everything to me.”
READ MORE:
• All you need to know about Trackman-powered pathway to the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour
Behind the leaders, Sweden’s Oliver Lilliedahl, season 2 overall winner American Jordan Weber, who has made two starts on the DP World Tour, and Sweden’s Ola Johansson shared third place at eight under par, highlighting the depth of competition as past winners remained firmly in contention.
Attention now turns to Stage 3 at Adare Manor, host of the 2027 Ryder Cup, where players will have one final chance to qualify for the NEXT Golf Tour Championship.
Stage 3 at Adare Manor will start Thursday January 22nd, and players will have until 11.59pm CET on January 29th to play their two rounds.
A Growing Gateway to Global Tours
The strengthened partnership between the DP World Tour and NEXT Golf Tour ensures the NEXT Golf Tour continues to serve as a vital bridge between emerging talent and the sport’s established tours.
With the World Series now underway and a DP World Tour start on the line, Season 4 stands to be NEXT’s most impactful season yet — offering players a genuine pathway to the top tiers of professional golf.
The NEXT World Series consists of three Stages. Each Stage is a separate 36-hole tournament for qualified players only. The purse for each Stage is fixed at $150,000.
The top 100 players (plus ties) on the Order of Merit following Stage 3 advance to the NEXT Golf Tour Championship, where they will compete for a share of the $250,000 purse and the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour starts.
The DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour exemptions will be awarded at the conclusion of The NEXT Golf Tour Championship, which will be played from February 10th - February 12th.
You can follow the action and see every shot from every player on nextgolftour.com.
