Three lifted up to Challenge Tour
Q School Final Stage
Are they ready to go directly to the European Tour? German Hurly Long, Sami Välimäki from Finland and Dutchman Robbie Van West, #1, 2 and 3 of the final Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit 2019, are well on their way to qualify directly for Europe's elite professional league. What they have already done is lifting Hinrich Arkenau, Benjamin Rusch and Felix Mory up to the 2020 Challenge Tour.
Tarragona/Spain – At the European Tour Qualifying School's final stage tournament in Tarragona in Spain Välimäki, Long and van West not only made the cut (-4) after 72 holes, but they are now also in a promising position to win one of 25 qualifying entries for the European Tour 2020: Sami Välimäki is in a fabulous second place after the 5th out of a total of six rounds with 16 under par; Hurly Long is tied 25th with 9 under par and Robbie van West is sharing 33rd position with 8 under par at this moment. A great and likewise powerful performance of the three Pro Golf Tour players!
What is already clear and a reason to celebrate for another three Pro Golf Tour members: Due to the fact that the top trio of the Pro Golf Tour 2019 has made the cut of the final stage, now the German Hinrich Arkenau, Benjamin Rusch from Switzerland and the Frenchman Félix Mory as the numbers 6, 7 and 8 of the final Pro Golf Tour rankings in 2019 are qualified for the Challenge Tour 2020. Congratulations to this trio, as well!
This is the original and detailed confirmation of Daniel Youngs, Tournament Coordinator of the Challenge Tour:
Regarding spots for your (Pro Golf Tour) graduates the breakdown will be as follows:
- Hurly Long & Robbie Van West both made the cut at QSchool so will receive a higher category than Cat 13 for 2020 – Therefore players #6 & #7 on the rankings (Hinrich Arkenau & Benjamin Rusch) will receive Cat 13 for next season
- Sami Välimäki is a x3 Winner so he has his own Cat 13a for next season, however because he too has made the cut he has now bettered his Cat 13 status for next season – this means that we will go down your O.O.M another position as well to #8 (Felix Mory)
In summary this will now put players ranked 6th – 8th on your rankings (Hinrich Arkenau, Benjamin Rusch & Felix Mory) in as part of the leading 5 from the Top 10 of your O.O.M. All of these players will be ranked as the final 3 players in Category 13b based on their finishing position on your O.O.M.