School's out.
Another gruelling year of Qualifying School is at an end, with 20 players celebrating with the reward of DP World Tour playing rights for the 2027 season.
Sporting jeopardy was on show across another edition of the marathon six-round Final Stage at INFINITUM.
On Wednesday, it was a case of elation for some and agony for others with 20 players finishing among the top 15 and ties on the leaderboard in Spain.
Key facts and figures about the 2026 Qualifying School graduates
• Seven players (Cameron John, Dabid Nyfjall, Ryan Lumsden, Paul Beauvy, Jansen Preston, Philipp Katich and Matteo Cristoni) will be DP World Tour rookies in the 2027 season
• Edoardo Molinari is the oldest of the Class of 2026 graduates at 45, with France's Paul Beauvy the youngest at 23
• 11 nationalities are represented (Sweden have four qualifiers, while there are three players from Spain)
Below is a look at each player, listed in order of their finishing position at Final Stage Qualifying School.
José Luis Ballester
Age: 23
• During a distinguished amateur career, he won the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine in 2024, becoming the first Spanish player to win the tournament. Also won the European Amateur in 2023 and Spanish Amateur in 2020
• A graduate of Arizona State University, he finished third in the PGA Tour University Ranking in 2025
• Son of former Spanish Olympic swimmer José Luis Ballester and 1992 Olympic field hockey gold medalist Sonia Barrio
Rocco Repetto Taylor
Age: 23
• After four years at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma, he turned professional in 2024
• Already a winner on the Alps Tour, he claimed his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title in just his second appearance on home soil at the Challenge de Cadiz in 2025
• Following promotion to the DP World Tour that year, he made his Major debut at the U.S. Open and has retained his playing rights on his first visit to Qualifying School
Cameron John
Age: 27
• Enjoyed international success as an amateur, winning the Scottish Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2016, followed by the Australian Boys' Amateur a year later
• Turned professional in January 2018, at 18, and has since won four PGA Tour of Australasia titles in his homeland
• Made his Major Championship debut earlier this year at The Open, following a runner-up finish at the Singapore Open on the Asian Tour
Ivan Cantero
Age: 30
• Reached a high of third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, before turning professional in 2017
• Earned his card on the DP World Tour via Qualifying School in 2018, but lost it a year later
• Graduated from the HotelPlanner Tour in 2023, and has now regained his card for a fourth consecutive campaign
Tom Lewis
Age: 35
• Won the Silver Medal as the leading amateur at the 2011 Open Championship held at Royal St George's
• Won his first DP World Tour title in just his third start as a professional at the Portugal Masters, winning the same event seven years later
• After losing his DP World Tour card in 2022, he won it back through Qualifying School in 2023 and has repeated the feat
Adam Blomme
Age: 30
• A consistent performer on the junior scene in Sweden, his final two years in college golf before graduating, and shortly after turning professional, in 2019 were for Texas Tech University
• Won the 2021 Swedish Golf Tour Order of Merit and joined the HotelPlanner Tour, from where he graduated onto the DP World Tour in 2023
• Finished 65th on the 2026 Road to Mallorca Rankings, missing out on qualifying for the HotelPlanner Tour's Grand Final, since when he has come through Second Stage
David Nyfjall
Age: 27
• Part of winning teams at the 2017 Jacques Léglise Trophy, 2019 European Amateur Team Championship and 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup
• A graduate of Northwestern University in 2023, he made his professional debut at the U.S. Open as a qualifier that year
• Won Cutter & Buck Tour Order of Merit - part of Nordic Golf League - to earn promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour but will now tee it up in 2027 as a DP World Tour rookie
Byeong Hun An
Age: 35
• Made history in 2009 as he became the youngest player ever to win the U.S. Amateur
• Became the first Korean to win on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2014, a year before winning his first DP World Tour title at the BMW PGA Championship as he went on to win the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award
• A two-time Presidents Cup player, he won his second DP World Tour on home soil at the Genesis Championship in 2024
Jannik de Bruyn
Age: 27
• German national amateur champion in 2019, he reached the final of the Spanish Amateur a year later, losing out to fellow Qualifying School graduate Ballester
• After turning professional in 2021, he earned promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour through the Pro Golf Tour in 2022, winning their season-ending event
• Held first-round lead on home soil at the European Open in 2024 and is now set for his first full season on the DP World Tour
Ryan Lumsden
Age: 30
• Hails from Wimbledon in England but represented Scotland as a junior and amateur
• Graduated in 2019 from Northwestern University, where he was mentored by alumni including Luke Donald and Matt Fitzpatrick and won the prestigious Byron Nelson Award
• Has played on the HotelPlanner Tour for the last four seasons
Paul Beauvy
Age: 23
• A strong performer as a junior in France, including becoming Under 18 champion, he graduated from Iowa State University earlier this year
• Began his Qualifying School journey as an amateur, winning at First Stage in August, since when he has made his DP World Tour debut at the FedEx Open de France
• Jumps straight to the DP World Tour for what will be his first full year as a professional
Marcus Helligkilde
Age: 30
• Turned professional in 2017 and won promotion onto the HotelPlanner Tour via the Nordic Golf League in 2018
• Won the Road to Mallorca Rankings after securing his third victory of the season at the Grand Final in 2021
• Missed the entire 2025 DP World Tour season with a pinched nerve, spending roughly £20,000 for a clear diagnosis
Albin Bergstrom
Age: 27
• Part of Sweden's gold medal-winning team at the European Amateur Team Championship in 2019, playing alongside future DP World Tour winners Ludvig Åberg and Vincent Norrman
• Turned professional after graduating from the University of South Florida in 2022
• Was the last of 20 graduates from the HotelPlanner Tour in 2025 and gets an immediate second chance on the DP World Tour
Niklas Lemke
Age: 42
• Graduated from Arizona State University in 2007 and turned professional that year
• Three of his wins in the paid ranks have come on home soil on the Nordic Golf League
• This marks the fifth time he has secured his DP World Tour card through Qualifying School
John Catlin
Age: 35
• Worked his way up the professional ranks from PGA Tour Canada to the Asian Development Tour before winning the Asian Tour’s Player of the Year and earning a DP World Tour card in 2018
• Won three times on the DP World Tour across 2020 and 2021
• Will make his Masters debut, completing the Major set, after winning the Hong Kong Open in October
Ben Schmidt
Age: 24
• Brought a successful amateur career to a close by representing Great Britain & Ireland at the Walker Cup in 2021
• Secured his first professional title on the Alps Tour in 2022
• This marks the second time he has earned his DP World Tour card through Qualifying School, having done so before in 2024
Edoardo Molinari
Age: 45
• Since turning professional in 2006, he has won three times on the DP World Tour and made close to 450 appearances
• Represented Team Europe alongside his brother, Francesco, at the Ryder Cup in 2010 at Celtic Manor
• Will serve as a Vice Captain to Luke Donald for a third consecutive Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027
Jansen Preston
Age: 26
• Vanderbilt University alumni, Preston is a three-time Kentucky high school state individual champion, a state record.
• Made first professional start at Isco Championship this season, before qualifying for Final Stage at Desert Springs.
• Birdied the 108th hole to qualify for the DP World Tour on the number.
Philipp Katich
Age: 25
• Since turning professional in 2022 has played on a host of international circuits, including the Professional Golf Tour of India, Pro Golf Tour and Nordic Golf League
• Came through all three qualifying stages, winning First Stage, after finishing 149th on HotelPlanner Tour Rankings
• Made it through the 72-hole cut at Final Stage on the number, before a final round 62 saw him earn DP World Tour status
Matteo Cristoni
Age: 24
• Grand Canyon University alumni, originally from Modena, Italy
• Played the Alps and Mena Tours before earning status on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2026, where he made the Grand Final before finishing 26th in the Rankings
• Held the lead after round four at Final Stage, but needed back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th to graduate to the DP World Tour
