The penultimate event on the 2026 Road to Mallorca, the Hangzhou Open presents the final opportunity to jostle for position in the Rankings before the Grand Final in two week’s time. Here are three to look out for at both ends of the Rankings…
Form Horse: Joseba Torres
Entering the English Trophy in September, Joseba Torres found himself 121st in the Rankings and outside of a position to earn full playing rights for the 2027 HotelPlanner Tour season, let alone reach the China events or the Grand Final. But the Spaniard finished fourth in England, before a tenth-place finish at the Open de Portugal and a 16th at the Abu Dhabi Challenge saw him rise to 64th and in the field for the Hainan Open, where he would finish second to Lars Van der Vight. Now, he enters the final event before Mallorca in 20th and hunting down a DP World Tour card. Can he find another strong finish in Hangzhou to boost his chances ahead of the final event of the season?
Local Boy: Zihao Jin
Zihao Jin enters the second China event in good shape after a 31st place finish at last week’s Hainan Open. Finishing as one of the top ten highest finishers from the China Tour contingent, Jin, who played a season on the DP World Tour in 2025, has one win to his name in the 2026 season, coming at the Guangdong Open in his first event after returning to the China Tour. Two runner ups have since followed to sit him second in the order of merit, with the top two earning spots on the DP World and HotelPlanner Tours respectively. Jin has made three out of three cuts on the HotelPlanner Tour over the last three years, with a share of 20th at the 2024 Hangzhou Open suggesting Hangzhou West Lake Golf Club may suit his eye.
Outsider: Jannik de Bruyn
Jannik de Bruyn is currently the first man outside of the top 45 of the Road to Mallorca Rankings and missing out on the Grand Final at Club de Golf Alcanada at the end of October. A fifth-place finish at the season opening SDC Open had seen the German have a bright start on the Rankings, spending the majority of the season in a Grand Final spot, but the performances of those around him saw him drop four places at the Hainan Open. De Bruyn needs a strong week to ensure his season doesn’t end this week, and he has the chance to play for a DP World Tour card.
