Several Challenge Tour alumni impressed this week in the 106th US PGA Championship which took place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.
Leading the charge was 2016 graduate Thomas Detry who carded rounds of 66-67-70-66 to finish in a share of fourth place on 15 under par alongside Collin Morikawa.
The Belgian entered the Challenge Tour record books in 2016 when he stormed to an incredible 12-shot victory at the Bridgestone Challenge to reach 29 under par overall – matching the joint lowest score to par in Challenge Tour history set by Ivó Giner in 2003. He went on to finish in 15th position on the Rankings and earn promotion to the DP World Tour.
2013 U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose, who played on the Challenge Tour back in 1999, moved into contention after firing a seven under par round of 64 on moving day, before going on to record another Major top ten with a tied sixth finish.
Rose’s Ryder Cup partner Robert MacIntyre enjoyed his best Major finish to date. The 2018 graduate will be back for the 2025 US PGA Championship after impressing to finish in a share of eighth on 13 under par.
In total, 20 of the 28 alumni teeing it up made the cut.
One of the 20 was Jesper Svensson who enjoyed a memorable Major debut. Last year’s Road to Mallorca Number Five continued his remarkable rise up the golfing ranks by receiving an invite to the event after a stellar start to the 2024 DP World Tour season.
The Swede teed it up alongside 2011 Challenge Tour Number One Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday at Valhalla before finishing tied 53rd. Fleetwood also had another strong outing to finish in a share of 23rd alongside five-time Major winner and 2012 graduate Brooks Koepka.
Another Swede, Alex Noren, climbed 17 places with a final round 65 to place 12th, while countryman Alexander Björk finished 39th alongside Englishmen Aaron Rai and Jordan Smith.
