Disappointment for local favourites as EuroPro Tour graduates set for Challenge Tour in 2017
The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour season came to its conclusion with the Matchroom Sport Tour Championship at Desert Springs Resort in Spain, where two of this season’s winners in the North East gained their Challenge Tour cards for 2017.
However, there was disappointment for a number of players based in the North East and Yorkshire. Rockliffe Hall’s James Maw, Yorkshireman Joe Dean and Carlisle golfer James Wilkinson all narrowly missed out on promotion to Europe’s second-tier tour – with Dean coming agonisingly close as he let a three-shot lead in the final round slip to finish in a tie for third. A second place finish would have secured his card.
Matthew Cort, the Leicester golfer who claimed the first of his two EuroPro wins this season at Longhirst Hall, won the tour’s Order of Merit after finishing tied third at the Tour Championship. Richard James, who claimed his maiden professional win at Close House this summer, lost out in a playoff at Desert Springs but second place was enough for him to move into the top five and earn his Challenge Tour card.
There was joy also for Mark Laskey, who won on the EuroPro Tour at Moor Allerton last year and again at The Oxfordshire this summer. The Brocket Hall pro took the fifth and final Challenge Tour card by a shade over £600.
The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour is set to return to the region three times next summer. A tournament at Close House has already been confirmed for April 26-28 and Northern Golfer understands Longhirst Hall and Moor Allerton are primed to once again host the tour in 2017.
For full results and the latest information from the EuroPro Tour go to www.europrotour.com
