It’s one of the longest and most intense weeks in golf, and for a host of big names, their hopes of a DP World Tour card for next season are over as the curtain comes down at Q School.
Since 1976, the DP World Tour Q School has provided a pathway for golfers from around the world to secure a seat at Europe’s top table.
With future livelihoods on the line and just 20 cards up for grabs, the Q School is one of the most pressurized and competitive events in golf.
Just to be in with a chance of playing for the privilege, players who are not otherwise exempt had to come through two 72-hole stages to earn themselves a place in the 156-man field for the final stage in Spain.
But a host of household names – certainly on the European circuit – failed to withstand the grueling six-day test across the Lakes and Hills Courses at Infinitum Golf Resort, near Taragona.
Englishmen Oliver Wilson and Chris Wood, the only former Ryder Cup players who teed it up in Spain, were among those who missed the cut – which falls after four rounds.
Wilson, who played for Nick Faldo’s side in the defeat at Valhalla in 2008, will be kicking himself after a third-round 78 cost him a spot, with the two-time DP World Tour winner finishing at three-over, nine shots outside the cut.
Wood, who was part of Darren Clark’s team at Hazeltine in 2016, is a three-time DP World Tour winner, including the flagship BMW PGA Championship, but he fell one shot short of making it through. The 37-year-old, who battled back from an opening round of 74, was on track to progress after 66 holes, before following a bogey with a double to leave himself with too much to do.
Also falling early was compatriot Matthew Southgate, who regained his card via Q School just months after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer in 2015, but he couldn’t repeat the feat. The 37-year-old, who was T6 at the 2017 Open Championship, withdrew after two rounds after opening with rounds of 74 and 75.
Yannik Paul, who came close to qualifying for the 2023 Ryder Cup team, also went out. The German, who won the 2022 Mallorca Golf Open, will rue a nightmare 76 in his third round as he missed out by a single shot.
Seven-time DP World Tour winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Costano also headed home after four rounds, failing to build on an opening 70 to fall six shots shy, as did Lucas Bjerregaard – the man who beat Tiger Woods in the quarter-finals of the 2019 WGC Match Play, just weeks before the American won his 15th major at the Masters.
The Dane, now 34, was seen as one of golf’s brightest prospects when he won the Portugal Masters in 2017 before seeing off Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton to lift the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2018, only missing out on victory at that year’s Omega European Masters with a playoff defeat to Matt Fitzpatrick.
How about those who played all six rounds, though?
Marc Warren, Alexander Levy, George Coetzee and David Horsey have 18 DP World Tour titles between them, but none of them will have full status next year.
Scotland’s Warren – who needs just one more start to join the tour’s ‘500 Club’ – and Frenchman Levy – who will feel particularly aggrieved having started the day inside the top 20 – finished in a tie for 21st to miss out by a single shot, while South African Coetzee and England’s Horsey finished way down the leaderboard in T42 and T49 respectively.
Another player of note who missed out is Luis Masaveu. It’s been a rough year for the Spaniard, who was dumped from Sergio Garcia’s LIV Golf team – Fireballs GC – earlier this year in favor of Jose Luis Ballester.
Those who did finish in the top 20 of the Q School leaderboard will receive Category 18 playing privileges for the 2026 DP World Tour season along with fully exempt status on the HotelPlanner Tour.
Speaking of which…
