GOLFING

Reitan secures Rolex Challenge Tour

Reitan secures a maiden Challenge Tour title and becomes the second Norwegian winner of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final after Espen Kofstad in 2012.

The 26-year-old climbs 29 places in the Road to Mallorca Rankings to end the season as the Number Seven and guarantee his place on the DP World Tour in 2025.

Reitan started the final day three shots off the lead but went eagle-birdie on his opening two holes to join Neergaard-Petersen at the top. Despite dropped shots at the fourth and tenth, Reitan, who at one point was four shots adrift of Neergaard-Petersen at the top, fired back with birdies on 11, 13 and 15 to stay in contention and set the clubhouse lead on 23 under.

Neergaard-Petersen meanwhile made the turn two under par to move clear at the summit, but three dropped shots in his closing seven holes, including at the par four 18th, saw him drop to a share of second alongside Ayora.

Reitan will return to the DP World Tour for the first time in six years having previously earned playing privileges through Qualifying School in 2018.

Neergaard-Petersen guaranteed automatic promotion to the DP World Tour by securing a third victory of the season in September and ends the week as the Road to Mallorca Number One on 1,826 points after enjoying a sensational debut season on the Challenge Tour.

The 25-year-old becomes the fourth player from Denmark to win the Challenge Tour Rankings after Marcus Helligkilde (2021), Joachim B Hansen (2018) and Thomas Bjørn (1995).

Englishman John Parry, who has also won three times on the Challenge Tour this season, ends the year as the Number Two, with Finn Oliver Lindell graduating in third after ending the year with eight consecutive top ten finishes.

Ayora ends his first season as a professional in fourth, Dane Hamish Brown, who has won twice this season, finishes fifth, with fellow two-time winner Conor Purcell from Ireland in sixth.

Swede Joakim Lagergren and Englishman Jack Senior secured their return to the DP World Tour by ending the year in eight and ninth respectively, with Joel Moscatel from Spain rounding out the top ten.

Swede Mikael Lindberg ends the year 11th, and is followed in the Rankings by five-time DP World Tour winner Alexander Levy who earns a return to golf’s Global Tour in 12th. Countryman Benjamin Hébert will join him after finishing 13th.

South African duo Robin Williams and Deon Germishuys will tee it up on the DP World Tour next year after ending the season 14th and 15th in the Rankings, as does Swede Björn Åkesson who finishes 16th.

Frenchman Martin Couvra (17th) and Englishman Brandon Robinson Thompson (18th) secure their first promotion, with Tapio Pulkkanen, the 2017 Challenge Tour Number One, joining them in 19th.

Pierre Pineau from France graduates to the DP World Tour for the first time in 20th, German Nicolai von Dellingshausen ends the year 21st, and two-time DP World Tour winner Lucas Bjerregaard from Denmark claims the final available card on offer in 22nd.