Just two weeks after turning professional, Taranaki golfer Sam Jones has secured a spot on the lucrative DP World Tour. After six grueling rounds in the final stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School in Spain, Jones was confirmed as one of the qualifiers on Thursday morning.
The achievement will give Jones the opportunity to play with the world’s best players and potentially win millions of dollars in prize money. He will join New Zealanders Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier on the European Tour and is expected to play at least 20 events.
Jones’ qualification for the DP World Tour is the culmination of a busy few weeks for the young golfer. He recently represented New Zealand at the Eisenhower Cup in Abu Dhabi before competing in the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne. He finished fourth in the second stage of the tournament and then traveled to Spain to compete in the qualifying rounds which earned him a spot in the final stage.
In the final stage, Jones played an impressive six rounds at Infinitum Golf with scores of 68, 69, 70, 65, 68 and 66. His impressive performance earned him a seventh place overall, good enough for a spot on the DP World Tour.
Jones expressed his disbelief and excitement at the result. He acknowledged the mental and physical challenges he faced during the qualification process, but was happy to have achieved what he had been aiming for.
Having qualified, Jones will now turn his attention to his first DP World Tour event – the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club next week. He is eager to start a new chapter in his golf career and make a name for himself on the world stage.