Marco Penge (-17) has won the Hainan Classic and finally marks his victorious debut on the DP World Tour. Finally? Let’s clarify: it’s not that this young 26-year-old Englishman has been chasing this goal for too long, as after all, last season (2024) was his debut on the tour; it’s more that it was something that many suspected had to happen. Penge hadn’t reached the elite to be just anyone, a hard worker on the tour. That profile doesn’t suit him. He’s an incredible hitter, practically on par with Rory (and that’s no exaggeration), he’s brave, very brave, and he’s a notable putter… What more could we want?
And now we reach the crucial point: if Penge finds a way to be a more consistent player, we would undoubtedly be looking at a solid top 50 in the world. And that’s not something that can be said about just any player. Last year he struggled until the last moment to maintain his playing rights and was in danger of being consumed by anxiety and haste, given the high expectations placed on him, so this victory can definitely help him become a different type of player, less inconsistent.
“This means the world to me. I wanted to prove to myself and everyone the player I am,” he said emotionally minutes after claiming victory. Now he has to continue proving what kind of player he is and how hungry he is, because this success has also catapulted him to the next PGA Championship, the second Major of the year, through the Asian Swing of the European tour. Let’s see what he’s capable of at Quail Hollow, although simply making the cut should already be considered a step forward, let’s not get ahead of ourselves (it’s the second Major he’s playing in his career, after the 2023 Open, where he didn’t make the Friday cut).
Penge signed a Sunday card of 67 strokes, despite starting with a bogey on the 2nd hole, the first par 5 of the Blackstone course, to win with the enormous authority demonstrated by those three final strokes of advantage over his immediate pursuers, Sean Crocker (-14) and Kristoffer Reitan (-14). A sequence of seven birdies in nine holes, from the 6th to the 14th, abruptly tipped the balance in his favour. Perhaps it’s too late for the Ryder race, but you never know with these kinds of explosive players. If not to get into Luke Donald’s squad, which would be a big ask at this stage, then at least to make noise and gain stature and prestige for future editions.
Eugenio Chacarra (-9) was closer than it seems to making the second big splash in such a short time. It’s true that the final result doesn’t reflect it, as he finished outside the top ten and eight strokes behind the winner, but in reality, well into the second half of the round, the Spaniard once again emerged as one of the main contenders for victory, with a four-under-par for the first twelve holes. A final third of the round to forget, with five bogeys in this stretch, ultimately relegated him, but the final balance of his week is once again outstanding.
