The Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final kicks off this Thursday at the Club de Golf Alcanada in Palma de Mallorca. It is the grand final of the Challenge Tour, the last tournament that will determine the 20 players who will join Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Robin Williams next year on the DP World Tour. The Number One spot on the circuit is also at stake, a title that holds no added value beyond the honour of being the best after a long and tough season. Not a small feat.
As you know, we have two Spaniards in this Challenge Tour Final, Ángel Ayora and Joel Moscatel. They arrive in sixth and ninth place on the Road to Mallorca and have secured their DP World Tour card for 2025. They will definitely finish among the top 20. Additionally, they also have the opportunity to be the best of the year, a recognition not within everyone’s reach. In fact, there are only nine golfers in Mallorca with mathematical chances of finishing as Number One. They are: John Parry, Rasmus Neergaard Petersen, Hammish Brown, Conor Purcell, Oliver Lindell, Ángel Ayora, Joakim Lagergren, Jack Senior, and Joel Moscatel. Robin Williams would also have a chance, tenth on the Road to Mallorca, but he is not playing this Challenge Final.
We share the complete scenarios for Ángel Ayora and Joel Moscatel this week to win the Challenge Tour and follow in the footsteps of Carl Suneson and Álvaro Velasco, the only Spaniards who finished the year as Number One on the Challenge. This happened in 1999 and 2010, respectively.
Ayora only has two outcomes: win or finish second alone
If he wins, the following must happen:
– John Parry must finish at least tied 3rd with two others.
– Neergaard Petersen must finish tied 2nd with three or worse.
– Hammish Brown must finish tied 2nd with another.
If Ayora finishes second alone, he needs the following:
– Parry must finish tied 17th with two or worse.
– Neergaard Petersen must finish tied 8th with two or worse.
– Brown must finish tied 5th with two or worse.
– Conor Purcell must finish tied 2nd with three or worse.
– Oliver Lindell must finish tied 2nd with three or worse.
– Joakim Lagergren, Jack Senior, and Joel Moscatel must not win.
Moscatel only has one outcome: win or win
If he wins, the following must happen:
– Parry must finish tied 10th with another or worse.
– Neergaard Petersen must finish tied 6th with three or worse.
– Brown must finish tied 4th with two or worse.
It must be said that the Club de Golf Alcanada has not been a particularly friendly course for Spanish golf. It is the fourth time it hosts the Challenge Final and in the previous three years, the best position was a tenth by Javier Sainz in 2022. Not much more. Afterwards, Carlos Pigem was 21st in 2019 and Lucas Vacarisas finished 22nd last year. Ayora and Moscatel, who will be the tenth and eleventh Spaniards to compete in this tournament on this course, will try to break this Alcanada curse.
