Jordan Smith with the trophy for topping the Challenge Tour rankings. Getty Images(c).
Ritthammer wins Challenge Tour finale in Oman but Jordan Smith is No. 1
FROM THE CHALLENGE TOUR WEBSITE
Bernd
Ritthammer sealed a third victory of the year on a day of high drama at
the European Challenge Tour’s season finale, the NBO Golf Classic Grand
Final, at Al Mouj Golf in Oman.
The German’s triumph was not quite enough to overtake Jordan Smith as
Road to Oman Rankings winner but few would begrudge the Englishman his
prize after a season of outstanding consistency.
With birdies and bogeys dropping simultaneously out on course, and
the most competitive season in memory, the projected make-up of the top
16 was in doubt until the final putt dropped, with France’s Joël Stalter
ultimately taking the last European Tour 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 suffice for graduation – a
chance to pull level.
Ultimately a bogey on the last derailed the Swede’s chances, and
Ritthammer was able to secure one final win with a regulation par on the
last and a 21 under par total, much to his delight and relief.
“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.”
Dantorp’s bogey on 18 was the only blemish in a sensational 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.
Ultimately, the 16 who occupied the European Tour spots coming into
the week finished in them, with a little bit of reordering, but that did
not lessen the spectacle of another thrilling conclusion to a Challenge
Tour season.
FINAL EVENT SCORES AND PRIZEMONEY
6
FOX Ryan
NZL
-16
68
69
64
71
0
0
272
€ 16,000
T7
WALKER Sam
ENG
-12
70
68
71
67
0
0
276 € 13,626
T12
KING Gary
ENG
-10
70
69
63
76
0
0
278
€ 8,843
T15
ORRIN Max
ENG
-9
70
71
71
67
0
0
279 € 6,800
SELECTED SCORES
Jordan Smith clinches Road to Oman Rankings title with top-20 finish in final event of season
Jordan Smith capped off a stellar
season on the European Challenge Tour with a top-20 finish at the NBO
Golf Classic Grand Final – which secured him the 2016 Road to Oman
Rankings title.
The Englishman arrived on Europe’s top developmental tour eight
months ago as an Order of Merit champion – after topping the satellite
EuroPro Tour’s Rankings in 2015 – and he carried on his winning form in
Egypt in only his second start of the season.
The 23 year old came close to further victories in the Czech Republic
and in Kazakhstan, but would have to wait until the penultimate event
of the season in Ras Al Khaimah before he could add a second Challenge
Tour trophy to his mantelpiece.
With seven top-ten finishes and more than €200,000 earned in prize
money, the man from Bath joins an illustrious list of Rankings winners
including Andrew Johnston, Edoardo Molinari, Henrik Stenson and Thomas
Bjørn, among others.
“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but I am sure when it is all announced
and I get the trophy in my hands it will hit home,” he said.
“I didn’t play my best this week but I just went out there to enjoy
it. I had my mum, my coach and my auntie all out supporting me and it
has been great to be able to have them here.
“Walking off the green it was emotional, mainly from my Mum, and it
was really nice to be able to have her here to when I finished.
“I was over the moon to finish top of the Order of Merit on the
EuroPro Tour last year, and I never would have imagined I would go on to
do what I have on the Challenge Tour this season.
“My aim at the start of the year was to keep my Challenge Tour card,
and now I have a European Tour card, so now I can go out and play next
year and have fun.”
Smith, who finished the season with 209,985 points, fought off
challenges from Bernd Ritthammer, Alexander Knappe and Ryan Fox, who all
pushed him close to topping the Rankings.
Having sewn up the top spot on Europe’s top developmental tour, the
young Englishman is confident that he can go on and compete on the
European Tour next season.
“The Challenge Tour has definitely prepared me for next season,” he
said. “Travelling inside and outside of Europe and living out of a
suitcase is something that has taken some getting used to, but I feel
ready for next year.
“I like to think that I will be able to go out and compete on the European Tour next year, and hopefully win.
“Over the season I have picked up a lot of friends. When you are
going out for dinner and staying with each other week in week out, you
really start to get along – that camaraderie has been a big part of this
year's enjoyment.”
TOP FIFTEEN WHO WON PROMOTION TO EUROPEAN TOUR
CLICK HERE
+They included Duncan Stewart.