Story of the Year Part Three – the graduates
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As we conclude our look back on the European Challenge Tour in 2015, we focus our eyes on the stats and interesting facts of the 15 players who headed the Road to Oman Rankings to earn European Tour graduation for next season:
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">1. Ricardo Gouveia</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>18
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>17
<strong>Wins:</strong>2 (AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort; NBO Golf Classic Grand Final
<strong>Top tens: </strong>12
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€251,592
<blockquote title="RG">My goal is to be one of the top players in the world… if I keep playing like this I will reach my long-term goals</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>Finishing the season in style, making five consecutive birdies on his final back nine of the season to win the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final and seal top spot in the Road to Oman Rankings.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">2. Sebastien Gros</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>18
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>15
<strong>Wins: </strong>2 (Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC; Kazakhstan Open)
<strong>Top tens:</strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney: </strong>€178,645
<blockquote title="Seb">It’s been a life-changing year for me and hopefully it’s just the start. It was a good way to grow up and learn a few things as well this year on the Challenge Tour</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>Victory at the Kazakhstan Open – the best-funded event of the season – that assured the Frenchman of his place on The European Tour for the 2016 season.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">3. Borja Virto Astudillo</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>17
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>16
<strong>Wins:</strong>2 (D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge; The Foshan Open)
<strong>Top tens:</strong>six
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€150,466
<blockquote title="Borja">It was a tough decision for me to choose to play on the Challenge Tour, missing out on big European Tour events, but now it’s completely worth it. Hopefully the experience the Challenge Tour has given me will help me to be more prepared next year</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Wire-to-wire win at the penultimate event of the season, The Foshan Open, which secured the Spaniard a top 15 spot and a place in The 2016 Race to Dubai.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">4. Nacho Elvira</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>14
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>ten
<strong>Wins:</strong>3 (Challenge de Madrid; Kӓrnten Golf Open presented by Mazda; ROLEX Trophy)
<strong>Top tens: </strong>four
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€114,878
<blockquote title="Nacho">It is a dream to be back on The European Tour - it is beyond my expectations</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>Romping to a third victory of the season at the ROLEX Trophy to secure immediate promotion to The European Tour.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">5. Joachim B Hansen</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>20
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>16
<strong>Wins:</strong>none
<strong>Top tens: </strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€113,135
<blockquote title="JB">Of course I wanted to win the Grand Final but to finish with three birdies, it could not have been a better way to finish the season</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Timing his charge into the top 15 to perfection, with a tie for third place in The Foshan Open preceding a second place in the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final – sealed with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish in the final round.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">6. Bjӧrn Åkesson</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>18
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>15
<strong>Wins: </strong>none
<strong>Top tens: </strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€104,539
<blockquote title="Bjorn">This second place (at The Foshan Open) definitely feels like a win. It’s definitely one of the best moments of my career. It just feels great</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>Securing his European Tour card with a runner-up finish in The Foshan Open.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">7. Gary Boyd</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>15
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>11
<strong>Wins: </strong>none
<strong>Top tens:</strong>six
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€96,290
<blockquote title="Boyd">Nearly the perfect birthday present finishing second at the EMC Challenge Open to Matteo Delpodio. Well done to him</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Making four birdies in a row to close his fourth round at the EMC Challenge Open and seal second place – and on his 29th birthday too!
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">8. Rhys Davies</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>20
Cuts made: 13
<strong>Wins: </strong>2 (Turkish Airlines Challenge; Fred Olsen Challenge de España)
<strong>Top tens:</strong>four
<strong>Total prizemoney: </strong>€94,832
<blockquote title="Rhys">It does feel like a long time since I’ve won, but it’s strange that when you get in the mix, everything floods back to you. I’ve been very fortunate that a number of people have been very supportive of me, during my tough times</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Firing a course record 11 under par round of 60 in the first round of the Fred Olsen Challenge de España to set up a second victory of the season.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">9. Thomas Linard</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>19
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>13
<strong>Wins: </strong>none
<strong>Top tens: </strong>four
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€91,258
<blockquote title="Linard">I am very happy to be a European Tour player. I didn’t think I was safe before the Grand Final. The stakes were very high so for me nothing was sure before then</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>Playing on home soil – the Frenchman was runner-up at both the Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC and Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">10. Jens Fahrbring</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>20
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>17
<strong>Wins: </strong>1 (D+D REAL Czech Challenge)
<strong>Top tens: </strong>three
<strong>Total prizemoney: </strong>€89,731
<blockquote title="Jens">I had a good week in Italy (on the European Tour) It feels good to have proven myself in a situation like that so I’m looking forward to competing at that level in the 2016 season</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Winning the D+D REAL Czech Challenge set him on his way to a top 15 place, but it was on The European Tour that the Swede’s highlight came – leading the 72° OPEN D’ITALIA presented by DAMIANI going into the final round before finishing in a tie for third place.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">11. Jeff Winther</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>18
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>16
<strong>Wins:</strong>none
<strong>Top tens:</strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney: </strong>€87,033
<blockquote title="Jeff">I’m over the moon. When I spoke to my wife, she couldn’t even make a sentence, it was fantastic!</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight: </strong>The month of July, where the Dane secured three consecutive top five finishes that helped him finish inside the top 15.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">12. Andrew McArthur</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played: </strong>15
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>13
<strong>Wins:</strong>none
<strong>Top tens:</strong>three
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€82,545
<blockquote title="McArthur">I certainly had discussions, particularly at the start of last season [2014]</blockquote>
<em>-When asked if he considered quitting the game.</em>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Back-to-back top three finishes in May that put the Scot into the top 15, where he stayed all season.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">13. Callum Shinkwin</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>15
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>nine
<strong>Wins: </strong>none
<strong>Top tens:</strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€81,082
<blockquote title="Shinkwin">I planned my schedule around all of the big ones and if you perform in the big ones, you’re going to move up</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Saving the best for last at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, where a tie for third place – helped by an incredible finish to his third round of four birdies in five holes in high winds – secured him a European Tour card at the 11th hour.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">14. Brandon Stone</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played:</strong>18
<strong>Cuts made:</strong>13
<strong>Wins: </strong>none
<strong>Top tens: </strong>six
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€80,979
<blockquote title="Stone">It hasn’t fully sunk in yet (getting a European Tour card). It feels great considering the downs I’ve had this year but euphoria at the moment. I’m going to savour it and get very drunk tonight!</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Contending with good friend and compatriot Haydn Porteous at the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open, narrowly losing out in a play-off.
<strong><span style="font-size: 20px;">15. Jamie McLeary</span></strong>
<strong>Tournaments played</strong>: 19
<strong>Cuts made: </strong>14
<strong>Wins:</strong>1 (KPMG Trophy)
<strong>Top tens: </strong>five
<strong>Total prizemoney:</strong>€80,353
<blockquote title="JMac">I’m as happy as Larry (after his KPMG Trophy victory). I was actually more nervous at the start than at the finish</blockquote>
<strong>Season highlight:</strong>Victory at the KPMG Trophy in June – the second Challenge Tour win of his career – that put the Scotsman firmly inside the top 15, from where he would never drop.
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