All you need to know about the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School as 156 players compete for 25 Tour Cards.
The Format
The three-stage competition culminates at INFINITUM from November 10-15, where 156 players will compete over six rounds in a bid to fulfil their DP World Tour dreams.
The Final Stage will consist of six rounds with each player playing two rounds at the Lakes Course and two at the Hills Course at INFINITUM, before a cut is made.
The top 70 and ties will then play the final two rounds at the Lakes Course, competing for the final 25 cards.
What is at stake?
The top 25 and ties will earn DP World Tour playing privileges for 2024, while the others who make the cut will earn a full Challenge Tour card.
For some, it's the chance to earn back status after finishing outside of the top 116 on the Race to Dubai. For others, it's about trying to earn a rookie season on the DP World Tour.
Who is playing?
There are a whole host of recognisable faces hoping to regain their playing rights and others seeking their first season all teeing up at Final Stage this week.
England’s Tom Lewis, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, comes from the Challenge Tour Grand Finals along with the likes of Darren Fichardt and Steven Brown.
The star studded field also features a raft of past DP World Tour winners, including David Howell, Alex Levy, John Catlin, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Marc Warren, Alvaro Quiros, Renato Paratore, Joachim B. Hansen, Kristoffer Broberg, Oliver Fisher, Grégory Havret and Richard McEvoy - who won Final Stage in 2013.
As well as seasoned professionals, young hopefuls are also aiming to seize playing privileges for 2024 that made their way to Final Stage either through the Challenge Tour or through First or Second Stage.. Frenchman Martin Couvra won as an amateur on the Challenge Tour this season before turning professional, and he’ll be aiming for a spot in the top 25, as will Zimbabwean Benjamin Follett-Smith who narrowly missed out on earning promotion to the DP World Tour at last week’s Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is looking to finish an impressive debut season that included two top five finishes on the Challenge Tour, finished tied seventh in the BMW International Open and tied 22nd in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last month on the DP World Tour.
Elsewhere, John Axelsen, David Ravetto, Pedro Figueiredo, Sam Hutsby and Garrick Porteous are all in the field trying to earn one of the top 25 cards for a second consecutive year.
The Venue
INFINITUM, formerly known as Lumine Golf, will host Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School for a fifth time this week, having previously staged the event from 2017-2019 and again in 2022 as Swede Simon Forsström secured a two-stroke victory to become one of 28 players to earn their DP World Tour cards.
The Lakes and The Hills are the two courses which will be played this week, and present two very diffierent challenges. The Lakes course surrounds the lakes and the Sèquia Major wetlands, one of the most important ecosystems in the region, while The Hills course is played between natural pine trees and cliffs, with panoramic sea views.
The resort as a whole surfaces is one of Europe’s most highly-sought after lifestyle and leisure experiences, with world-class golf, modern gastronomy, off-course activities, and a contemporary beach club featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including eight swimming pools, a Tapas Bar, and one of Costa Daurada’s best restaurants.
Sustainability is also at the forefront of INFINITUM resort. All irrigation water comes from the desalination plant, which collects and treats water from neighbouring towns before recycling it. The plant operators receive specialized training to manage the complex treatment process. This system provides significant environmental benefits, as it reduces the discharge of pollutants into the sea. INFINITUM has obtained prestigious environmental certifications, such as the Gold Signature from Audubon and GEO, which require maintaining high environmental standards in all operations.
The Lakes golf course is located within a protected natural area, and to preserve it, the resort controls the use of phytosanitary products on its golf courses. Using recycled water from the desalination plant reduces the resort’s water consumption and contributes to environmental conservation. INFINITUM demonstrates a commitment to responsible and sustainable practices, benefiting the resort and surrounding ecosystems.
Legacy
Since the inaugural contest in 1976, DP World Tour Qualifying School has proved itself to be a breeding ground that has resulted in a host of Major Champions, World Number Ones and Ryder Cup players.
Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle, Justin Rose and Miguel Ángel Jiménez are just a few European greats to make it through ‘golf’s toughest test’ before going on to taste glory on the world stage.
In 2023, five Qualifying School Graduates earned victories on the DP World Tour. Marcel Siem was the first player to win at the Hero Indian Open, before Nick Bachem stormed to a four-shot victory at the Jonsson Workwear Open. Two months later Simon Forsström, winner of Final Stage last year, earned his maiden Tour title at the Soudal Open. Dan Brown then claimed his first DP World Tour title with a five-stroke triumph at the ISPS Handa World Invitational in August, before Ryo Hisatsune won the Cazoo Open de France in September.
