The importance of the 2014 Final Swing

<em>In part two of our statistical series looking back on yet another career-defining year for so many on the second tier, challengetour.com’s Nick Totten took a look at the crucial role the closing four events of the inaugural Final Swing played in the ultimate make-up of the Rankings</em>

Encompassing<strong>27 tournaments across 20 countries</strong>in 2014, the Challenge Tour schedule built to a heady climax, with four of the season’s biggest prize funds reserved for trips to China, Oman and Dubai as the great and good of the circuit jostled for a fitting end to their campaign.

First up was the Shankai Classic presented by IDG, which heralded the second tier’s return to China, a year removed from the success of the Foshan Open. Both were a fitting start to the closing quartet of events, before the Challenge Tour headed to the Middle East for the second respective instalments of both the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic and the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club.

All four events would play a<strong>crucial role</strong>in defining the seasons of many – where for some their graduation was rubber-stamped, while others saw it narrowly slip from their grasp.

Here are the numbers that mattered most in 2014….

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Money, money, money</span></strong>

What it all boils down to, at the culmination of any season, are the Euros any player has accrued to that point, and with plenty on the line in the Final Swing, there were some very clear winners – in more case than one.

Thanks to a<strong>maiden Challenge Tour triumph</strong>at the Foshan Open and a runner-up finish the following week in Oman, it was England’s<strong>Jason Palmer</strong>who accrued the most money at the culmination of the season, pocketing<strong>€75,885 en route to eighth</strong>place on the Rankings.

That made him the<strong>biggest mover</strong>in the closing four events to make the top 15, climbing from 50th entering the series, and leaving it<strong>42 places better off</strong>.

<blockquote title="Jason Palmer">I just feel so over the moon, it is a total dream come true - Jason Palmer, after his Foshan Open victory</blockquote>

Benjamin Hebert was already assured of his ascension to The Race to Dubai, but he drove that point home with his season-ending victory in Dubai, to bank<strong>€60,085</strong>in the final four and claim second spot on the season-long list.

Max Orrin’s first career-win in Oman saw him pocket<strong>€49,268</strong>in the closing quartet to claim the third biggest season-ending haul, while Shankai Classic victor Johan Edfors earned<strong>€48,289</strong>, as both he and Orrin narrowly missed out on graduation.

Special mention also goes to Chile’s Mark Tullo, who earned<strong>€47,829 </strong>during the Final Swing<strong>without a victory</strong>, a feat that saw him jump to fifth overall for the season, while Englishman Ben Evans’ earnings of<strong>€40,336</strong>were the<strong>highest of anyone to not make the top 15</strong>, as he finished 17th.

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Movers and shakers</span></strong>

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong>As the Rankings drew to a close there were<strong>three people to benefit from the final four events</strong>, which conversely meant that a trio of top talent narrowly missed out, having entered the climax to the season in the box seats for graduation.

<strong>Jason Barnes </strong>and<strong> Jerome Lando-Casanova</strong>also benefited on a thrilling final day at the Grand Final.

On the opposite end of their elation, was the disappointment of<strong>Scott Henry </strong>and<strong> Lasse Jensen</strong>who narrowly missed out, while<strong>Antonio Hortal</strong>– who had been in the graduation places for much of the season thanks to his Challenge de Catalunya win in April – was the man to finish in the unenviable<strong>16th spot</strong>.

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">In it to win it</span></strong>

Recognising the importance of the Final Swing,<strong>seven players</strong>to make the top 15 come season’s end teed it up in<strong>all four events</strong>, with Barnes, Lando-Casanova and Palmer those to benefit most.

Both Barnes and Palmer were amongst<strong>five players</strong>to finish in the<strong>top 10</strong>on two occasions, alongside Edouard Espana, Daniel Gaunt and Bernd Ritthammer, while<strong>Tullo recorded the most</strong>with three.

The Chilean, alongside Byeong-hun An, Espana, and Jake Roos, rounded out the group of<strong>seven </strong>to tee it up in all<strong>four events </strong>en route to a successful bid at graduation.

Proof, therefore, of the<strong>key role</strong>the inaugural Final Swing played in the make-up of the Challenge Tour Rankings come season’s end, and this year is certain to throw up just as much drama, as we continue to count down to the first event at the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI in March.