The 2019 Race to Dubai campaign begins with a bang this week as a strong field gathers for the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi.
Among those most eagerly anticipating the start of the new season are the Challenge Tour's Class of 2018; 15 graduates who now proudly possess European Tour cards.
Twelve of those players will tee it up at Hong Kong Golf Club this week, joining the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Masters Champion Patrick Reed on course.
Meet the 12...
Joachim B Hansen
The Dane secured his return to the European Tour in style, winning twice and coming second on three occasions in 2018 on his way to finishing top of the Road to Ras Al Khaimah Rankings. Hansen will begin his fourth season on the European Tour by hitting the first tee-shot on Thursday in Fanling.
Adri Arnaus
Spain’s Arnaus saved his very best for last in 2018, powering to a wire-to-wire victory in the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final to finish second in the Rankings and secure a European Tour card for the first time. That season-ending victory was the 2017 Alps Tour Number One’s first in a spectacular rookie season which saw him finish inside the top ten eight times.
Victor Perez
Frenchman Perez also finished the season with a flourish, winning the Foshan Open after seeing off Scot Robert MacIntyre in a play-off, before coming second behind Arnaus at Al Hamra GC earlier this month. The 26 year old will be hoping to carry his fine form onto the European Tour as he embarks upon his rookie season.
Kalle Samooja
The talented Finn will head into his rookie season full of confidence after claiming his maiden Challenge Tour victory at the Hainan Open last month. After that win Samooja, who went on to finish fourth in the Rankings, said: “I’ve been hunting for a European Tour card for a long time and I think this is the best way to get on the European Tour, by finishing in the top 15 on the Challenge Tour. It’s been a long season and finally I can be sure that I’ll be playing there next year.”
Jack Singh Brar
Having just celebrated his 22nd birthday, Englishman Singh Brar is the youngest Challenge Tour graduate of 2018. The Hampshire native, who represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 2017 Walker Cup, began the season playing on the satellite Alps Tour and held no status on the Challenge Tour. But he did not let that stop him, finishing in a tie for second in his first-ever Challenge Tour start at the Turkish Airlines Challenge before winning the Cordon Golf Open in early September to claim his first win.
Grant Forrest
Forrest is one of a record four Scotsmen to graduate from the Challenge Tour, doing so courtesy of three runner-up finishes in 2018. He topped the list of Scots as he finished seventh in the Rankings. The 25 year old is no stranger to the European Tour, making eight starts last season.
Kim Koivu
Finn Koivu has enjoyed a magnificent year since turning professional in December 2017, winning the Belt & Road Colorful Yunnan Open 2018 in April and the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge and Rolex Trophy in August to secure European Tour status. He since went on to finish in a tie for seventh at the Portugal Masters in September.
Liam Johnston
Scotland’s Johnston started the year without a full playing category on the Challenge Tour but won the Andalucia - Costa del Sol Match Play 9 and Kazakhstan Open presented by ERG to secure a tenth-place finish in the Rankings.
Sean Crocker
After producing two top-ten finishes in the early stages of the European Tour season in 2018 - at the Australian PGA Championship and ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth - American Crocker recorded five top-fives on the Challenge Tour to come 11th in the Rankings. He made nine European Tour appearances last season and will be hoping for a successful campaign on that stage in 2019.
Robert MacIntyre
Scot MacIntyre may not have tasted victory on the Challenge Tour in 2018 but he certainly came close. The 22 year old lost in play-offs to Koivu and Perez at the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge and Foshan Open respectively before finishing in a tie for sixth in the season’s last event to clinch his card.
Lorenzo Gagli
The Italian has plenty of European Tour experience, having been a member on several occasions. After starting last season with six straight European Tour appearances, Gagli clinched his first Challenge Tour win at the Barclays Kenya Open after beating Jens Fahrbring in a play-off. After spending the rest of the season playing events on both Tours, Gagli finished 13th in the Rankings to secure his European Tour card for 2019.
David Law
Law is the fourth Scotsman on the list, finishing 14th after winning the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts on home soil in June. He then came second at the Euram Bank Open before finishing in a tie for 25th at the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final.
