For all 156 players in the Final Stage Qualifying School field, day four was an important one as they looked to secure playing privileges on the DP World Tour for the 2024 season.
The leading 70 players and ties have now officially made the cut, meaning that they will have a playing category next year. What that category is remains to be seen, with the final two rounds of the marathon week at INFINITUM to come.
Qualifying School is the final opportunity for players to ensure they have playing status for the next 12 months, and on a week filled with drama, day four brought both heartache and elation for those teeing it up.
How it works
Having made the cut, every player at INFINITUM will now target a place as one of the leading 25 players and ties that will earn the best available category on the DP World Tour. The higher up the leaderboard a player finishes, the more opportunities they’ll receive in 2024.
Delight for some
Filippo Celli is the man in pole position heading into the final two days. The Italian has carded rounds of 68-65-66-66 to jump into a three stroke lead on 21 under par and is in a commanding position with 36 holes to play.
One of the biggest stories of the day belonged to Tom Lewis. Starting his round outside of the cutline, the Englishman tied his career-low round with a flawless ten under par 61. Now inside the top 20 with two more rounds to go, the two-time Portugal Masters winner has a chance to make his way back to the DP World Tour.
English amateur Joshua Berry is also having a week to remember. He came through First Stage Qualifying School in September and finished in second place at Second Stage just last week. The 18-year-old is two rounds away from making the step up to golf’s Global Tour.
Four-time DP World Tour winner Mark Warren looked sure to miss the cut after reaching the turn level par for the week. The Scotsman fired back though, carding a remarkable 29 on the way home – that included one bogey, five birdies and an eagle - to finish one stroke inside the cut mark.
Dutchman Lars van Meijel started his week by carding a six over par round of 77 and faced an uphill battle to make the cut. Rounds of 68-70 followed before a six under par 66 today saw him make the cut on the mark.
Disappointment for others
There was disappointment for several players too on a windy day at INFINITUM. Welshman Oliver Farr and Englishman Jamie Rutherford both narrowly missed out on promotion to the DP World Tour at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final last week, and did so again in Tarragona, falling two strokes short of making the cut.
Mark Power will also have to wait another year to earn his DP World Tour card, with the Irishman missing a par putt on his last hole to progress to rounds five and six.
Seven-time DP World Tour winner Alvaro Quiros was unable to launch a round four fightback, finishing one under par for the week after clawing his way into contention following an opening round of 76. Gregory Havret, a three-time winner on the DP World Tour, also missed out.
All to play for
A total of 78 players made the 72-hole cut, with 18 players making it through on the cut mark of five under par.
As it stands, the leading 25 players and ties sit five shots better off on ten under par. There is all to play for.
