As well as being a notable milestone for the player himself after seven years out of the winner’s circle, Edoardo Molinari’s victory at the Trophée Hassan II was also significant for being the 400th win on the European Tour by a former Challenge Tour player.
That it was Molinari who took the Challenge Tour to that milestone is entirely fitting given his own illustrious history on Europe’s top developmental tour – five wins, including three in 2009 when he ultimately topped the Rankings; within nine months he was then a Ryder Cup winner.
Reaching the landmark of 400 European Tour wins shows how the Challenge Tour, now in its 29th season, continues to produce the highest calibre of player, from Major Champions to Ryder Cup legends. Here are a few of the interesting statistics surrounding those 400:
400 wins by 150 players
Landmark wins:
1. Per-Ulrik Johansson(Renault Belgian Open, 1991)
50. Mathias Gronberg(Mercedes Benz SA Open Championship, 2000)
100. Ian Poulter(Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open, 2003)
150. Thomas Bjørn(Nissan Irish Open, 2006)
200. Richard Finch(Irish Open, 2008)
250. Louis Oosthuizen(The Open Championship, 2010)
300. Jamie Donaldson(Irish Open, 2012)
350. Joost Luiten(ISPS Handa Wales Open, 2014)
400. Edoardo Molinari(Trophée Hassan II, 2017)
Landmark winners:
50th alumnusto win on the European Tour:Justin Rose(Dunhill Championship, 2002)
100th: Martin Kaymer(Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, 2008)
150th: Haydn Porteous(Joburg Open, 2016)
Most wins: Thomas Bjørn (15 titles)
Major Championships:seven won, by six players
Michael Campbell(U.S. Open, 2005),Trevor Immelman(Masters Tournament, 2008),Louis Oosthuizen(The Open Championship, 2010),Martin Kaymer(US PGA Championship, 2010; U.S. Open, 2014),Justin Rose(U.S. Open, 2013),Henrik Stenson(The Open Championship, 2016)
Most wins by nationality
Spain (47), South Africa (39), France (28), Germany (26), Scotland (24), Portugal (24), England (22)
