Staff WriterQuim Vidal has etched his name in HotelPlanner Tour history with a thrilling victory at the Delhi Challenge.
In a contest that had more twists than a round of golf on a blustery day at the Classic Golf & Country Club, the Spaniard battled hard to secure his maiden title in a nail-biting play-off against England’s Joshua Berry.
Quim Vidal kicked off the final round with a three-shot cushion, yet his one-under 71 left him tied at 18-under after 72 holes.
The tension built as both he and his rival sank birdies on the first two extra holes—like watching two wily fighters trading clever jabs.
Then, on the third extra hole, Vidal’s sublime birdie was the coup de grâce that sealed the win—a shot as bold as it was brilliant, perfectly capturing his relentless, never-say-die spirit.
The 25-year-old pulled off a memorable turnaround after a sluggish start to his final round, especially when he eagled the 72nd hole to force the tie-breaker.
“I’m very happy and it feels great,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this after a tough day, but I’m lost for words right now. The play-off was so tough, and I didn’t know how it was going to end.
“I knew I had to make an eagle to get in the play-off and I was so focussed on making that putt. It was probably the only long putt I made all day, and it was special.”
Now riding high on his victory, Quim Vidal has vaulted into fifth place on the Road to Mallorca Rankings—a move he hopes will serve as a springboard toward promotion to the DP World Tour.
“I will try to keep this good form up for the rest of the season,” he added. “I’ve gained a lot of points this week which takes the pressure off slightly but I’m going to keep pushing to make sure I stay towards the top for the rest of the year, and we will see where I end up.
“My main goal is to finish inside the top 20 and earn promotion to the DP World Tour.”
Other notable performances included Dutchman Lars van Meijel, who fired a final round 66 to finish third on 17 under, while Austrian Maximillian Steinlechner and Italian Filippo Celli shared fourth position on 16 under.
American Davis Bryant, Peruvian Julian Perico, Portuguese Pedro Figueiredo, Indian Arjun Prasad, and Danish Victor Sidal Svendsen all finished in a tie for sixth at 15 under par.
In the Road to Mallorca Rankings, South African Daniel van Tonder maintains his lead with 742.4 points, followed by Berry trailing by 180.5 points, with Englishman Jamie Rutherford in third.
South African Wilco Nienaber and Vidal complete the top five, underlining a fierce competitive spirit among the elite.
As the tour takes a brief two-week hiatus before the UAE Challenge at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club from April 10-13, Vidal’s breakthrough performance provides a welcome boost for his career, promising more thrilling moments on the greens in the months ahead.
