Challenge Tour Finale

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

SOME serious golfers have made a big name for themselves after graduating from the Challenge Tour - Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn immediately spring to mind. So winning the Road to Oman or the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final at Al Mouj is a big deal for the young players concerned.

Thus, Bernd Ritthammer will be setting his sights on a memorable debut season on the European Tour after winning the season finale for his third success of the year. His victory was not quite good enough to overtake Jordan Smith as Road to Oman Rankings winner and Smith, from England, will also join the big boys, hoping to continue the remarkable consistency he has displayed throughout 2016.

At the conclusion of the most competitive season in years, the identity of the top 16 who automatically win their Tour cards was in doubt until the final putt dropped, with France’s Joël Stalter taking the final spot at the expense of compatriot Adrien Saddier.

Ritthammer had looked in total control for much of the day, moving four shots clear on the front nine, but a faltering back nine gave Jens Dantorp – for whom only a victory would do – a chance to pull level.

A costly bogey on the 18th ended Dantorp's dreams, and Ritthammer secured another victory with a par and a 21 under par total.

@Ritt_Hammer see you next season Bernd. pic.twitter.com/JhnkZd2u1R

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 7, 2016

“I haven’t got used to it yet but it’s a pretty good feeling,” said the 29 year old. “I actually struggled quite a bit today, especially with my long game, but I lost a bit of confidence on the back nine.

“My putting saved me out there, I was able to scramble well and made some crucial putts, and I am just so happy to have got it done – it’s important, it gives me a slightly higher ranking than I would have had without the win, which might be crucial to get into some bigger events next season.

“The pressure definitely increased as the week went on. I expected it to be pretty tough today, but I started well, then a bogey on nine led to a few more mistakes, and I was feeling the pressure even more and grinding to get it done.

“I knew Jens needed to win because I played with him in the last two rounds, so when I saw him climbing the leaderboard I knew what was happening for him and I feel really sorry for him because he had a great week and he would have deserved to win and to graduate.

“We’ve been talking about the rankings all week, and my group today of Ryan Fox and Matthieu Pavon and me all knew we were safe, and how good it is not to be on the bubble – we were all in a good position no matter what the outcome was here.

“I know it can be very intense on this final day because I had a similar thing in the Grand Final two years ago, so I know how those guys feel and I feel sorry for everyone who just missed out, but that only means they are really close and they will make it soon.

“I’m looking forward to getting some rest in the next few weeks, putting the clubs away for a while, and try to be fresh going down to Leopard Creek in December with this confidence I will definitely be taking with me.”

What. A. Day

Here's how the dramatic final day of the 2016 Road to Oman unfolded: https://t.co/oC61vu38Dy pic.twitter.com/sslFregmrE

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) November 6, 2016

Dantorp’s bogey on 18 was the only blemish in a seven under par 65, the low round of the day, while a similar fate befell Adrien Saddier, another on the bubble coming into the week in Muscat.

The Frenchman needed to finish in third outright to earn enough points for a top 16 spot but found a greenside bunker – as did Dantorp – and failed to get up-and-down, dropping into a share of third with compatriots Julien Guerrier and Pavon, to miss out by just 732 points.