Sean Crocker revealed the thought of going to Q-School kickstarted his stunning back nine which looks set to retain his playing privileges for the 2027 DP World Tour campaign.
With the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World keeping their card following the conclusion of the 2026 Genesis Championship in Korea, Crocker finished his third round sitting in the precarious last spot.
His chances appeared severely hampered after three bogeys on his front nine as he slipped below the dotted line before a searing comeback.
Crocker clawed back two shots with birdies at the tenth and 11th and his putter got hot when he finished his final round with four successive birdies for a three-under 68 and four under overall.
That kept him back in 100th place on the Race to Dubai Rankings, but he will return as a full member next season.
"I needed to play good, I was obviously hoping to get off to a way better start than I did," an emotional Crocker said.
"That was probably one of the better back nines I've ever played with circumstances and everything going on there, it was pretty good.
"Those final two tee-shots on 17 and 18 were as big as I could hit it and then that putt on 17 was massive and then to just chip it to give on 18 so I didn't have to think about it was really nice."
When asked what he thought at the turn, Crocker said: "I'm not going to Q-School! If I'm being dead serious. I don't really know how the new categories are working and stuff like that, but that's 12 weeks on the trot, I've not seen my wife and child for a handful of weeks now I knew it would be a week off and then Q-School if that was the choice I made.
"I just really wanted to give it every chance I could to be able to spend a little time at home to be a dad and a husband, because it's been a while and I miss the living hell out of them."
He added: "It's not easy being a Tour player, being away from your family especially when you are on the bubble and obviously I'm not the only person, but the last thing you want to do is start a little family and get demoted or lose some of your playing rights so I was obviously thinking about his (son, Cruz) future and making sure my wife never has to have a job I guess.
"It was definitely on the back of my mind that I also have Stevie (Pettit, caddie) to take care of, there's lots of things that weigh on our shoulders when we are out there playing golf and I was just trying my ass off to get it in."
Matteo Manassero spoke of his pride after 11 gruelling weeks finally ensured his playing privileges for next season after a final round of 68 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.
The Italian saved his best until last, rolling in four birdies and just one dropped shot to finish at two under and 98th on the Race to Dubai Rankings.
"Of course I'm feeling good, but honestly all day and all week I've been telling myself that I've already done something good in the last 11 weeks, to be here in this position," the five-time DP World Tour winner said.
"The year hasn't been how I wanted it, that's for sure, you want to be in a different position at the last event, but I kept telling that to myself otherwise it would have been all about this week and I didn't want it to be about this week.
"I'm proud of what I did and how I fought for 11 weeks. I tried to keep my game in the best possible shape, which is unusual, I've never done that in my life so I'm happy how I finished this back nine today very well.
"Physically OK, you can balance things, but mentally 11 weeks in a row is difficult. It's a lot of golf, it's a lot of habits, a lot of warm-ups pre-round and a lot of those things.
"I would say the last month, mentally, was difficult because of the circumstances as well, so mentally harder than physically I would say or that's how I feel. Maybe tomorrow I feel different."
