Armitage secures European Tour card for 2017 with his maiden Challenge Tour title
Marcus Armitage catapulted himself up the Challenge Tour rankings and onto the European Tour for the 2017 season in style in the final three weeks of the season.
The Howley Hall-based pro, who graduated from the EuroPro Tour in 2015 – during which he won the Tree of Life Championship at Close House, launched himself into the top 15 of the Road to Oman standings with a five under-par round of 67 to win the Foshan Open.
“To get my fist win on the Challenge Tour at Foshan was magic,” said Armitage. “I’ve always believed I could do it and to finally get that win was fantastic. A lot of hard work paid off that week.”
Following the win Armitage finished in 47th place in the Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Golf Challenge a week later before finishing in 10th place at the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman.
Armitage featured on the cover of Northern Golfer following his win at Close House in 2015 and outlined his 10-year plan to winning on the European Tour. He admitted that things have changed dramatically since then.
“Securing a European Tour card within a year of making it to the Challenge Tour through the EuroPro rankings is an amazing result. It’s catapulted me way ahead of my plan and I can’t wait to get out there and fulfil my dream of playing on the European Tour.
“I’m in a real good place at the moment and this is such an exciting time. I’ll be spending a few weeks at home, relaxing and seeing my coaches Anthony Sheehy and Duncan McCarthy, and getting focused ahead of Leopard Creek and getting the European Tour season off to a good start.”
Northumberland’s Garrick Porteous climbed the rankings with a tie for seventh in the final event of the season to claim 30th place in the Road to Oman.
Jordan Smith, who won the EuroPro Tour’s Race to Desert Springs in 2015, won the Road to Oman to also secure back-to-back promotions.
