Kristoffer Reitan really showed his mettle at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, swinging his way to a brilliant victory and a spot on the DP World Tour.
His performance wasn’t just golf; it was art, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of the sport.
At the same time, Denmark’s own Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen wrapped up a standout season by leading the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
It’s a title that speaks volumes about his steady hand and fierce spirit, qualities that shone brightly on the greens of Club de Golf Alcanada.
Reitan’s final round was a blistering four-under-par 68, bringing him to 23 under for the week, just enough to edge out Neergaard-Petersen and local contender Angel Ayora by a single stroke.
This win not only marks Reitan’s first Challenge Tour title, but it also makes him the second Norwegian ever to clinch the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, following in the footsteps of compatriot Espen Kofstad from back in 2012.
It’s been a long road for Reitan, who clawed his way up 29 spots in the Road to Mallorca Rankings to finish seventh and secure his DP World Tour status for 2025.
The Sunday showdown had its share of drama. Starting the day three shots off the pace, Reitan wasted no time, igniting his round with an eagle-birdie combo that instantly put him in the mix alongside Neergaard-Petersen.
Despite two dropped shots on the front nine, Reitan surged back with birdies on the 11th, 13th, and 15th holes, setting the clubhouse lead at 23 under.
Kristoffer Reitan: I haven’t been able to have any concrete thoughts on the whole thing. Obviously gutted about Rasmus’ finish, and I didn’t want to win it in that way, but it’s a win and I’m super happy but it has not sunk in yet whatsoever. It’s probably going to take a few hours or maybe a few days. I’ve achieved my main goal which was getting back to the DP World Tour, and I did the hard way. It’s really nice to be able to play well when it really mattered. It’s bizarre. I never thought this would be a possibility even a few months ago.
I didn’t think about the win at all. I was just trying to make life hard for everyone that was behind me, and keep committing to my shots. I tried swinging as freely as possible, even though I was a bit uncomfortable in a tense situation, but I think I did a good job of that. At the end I was just surprised looking at the leaderboard on 18 knowing that I was tied for the lead.
I thought we were heading towards a playoff but it’s just bizarre how golf wins. I’m looking forward to next season immensely. I’m really happy to be back and if you would’ve told me this a few months ago I wouldn’t have believed you.
Neergaard-Petersen appeared poised to close things out with a steady front nine, but three late bogeys, including one on the closing hole, kept him from seizing the trophy outright, dropping him to a tie for second.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen: It means the world to me. Obviously quite bittersweet now, but the main goal for coming here was to win the Rankings, and as I said earlier this week, it would the perfect end to the perfect season and I’m super happy with that.
I think if you look at the week as a whole, I’m extremely proud. I played two extremely good rounds and for the first 11 or 12 holes today, I played great. I played great this week overall.
I’ve only been a professional for 16 or 17 months now and I’m continuing to learn new things and draw on the experiences I’ve had. I didn’t get it done in the tournament today, but all I can do is learn from this and move on. I just didn’t have anything left in the tank today. I tried to will it to the finish line, but I just couldn’t get it done. I’m still super happy to win the Rankings. It’s been a great season.
For right now, I’m looking forward to some rest and then start the new season in Australia in a couple of weeks. Next year, I’ll see how high I can climb on the Race to Dubai, but for right now, rest is all that’s on my mind.
For Reitan, this victory is a return to form. He’ll be back on the DP World Tour next year, six years after earning his playing privileges through Qualifying School in 2018.
Meanwhile, Neergaard-Petersen, with three wins already under his belt this season, had his promotion sealed prior to this event.
His crowning as the Road to Mallorca Number One with 1,826 points cements his status as the fourth Dane to top the Challenge Tour, joining the esteemed ranks of players like Marcus Helligkilde and Thomas Bjørn.
The Challenge Tour’s top twenty is peppered with familiar names and rising stars who will join Reitan and Neergaard-Petersen on the DP World Tour next year.
Englishman John Parry takes the Number Two spot with his own trio of Challenge Tour wins, followed closely by Finland’s Oliver Lindell, who wrapped up the season with a streak of eight consecutive top-ten finishes.
Newcomers like Ayora, who took fourth after a stellar rookie season, and Hamish Brown of Denmark, rounding out the top five, have also punched their tickets to golf’s elite stage.
Further down the list, we see established names making their way back to the big leagues: Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren and England’s Jack Senior finished eighth and ninth respectively, with Spain’s Joel Moscatel closing out the top ten.
Veterans like Mikael Lindberg of Sweden and France’s Alexander Levy—who boasts five DP World Tour wins—also requalified, proving experience and determination go a long way.
The season’s final standings bring a blend of promising youth and seasoned experience to the DP World Tour next year. Frenchmen Martin Couvra and Benjamin Hébert, South African talents Robin Williams and Deon Germishuys, and Sweden’s Björn Åkesson all secured their spots.
Adding to the roster, Brandon Robinson Thompson from England and Tapio Pulkkanen, the 2017 Challenge Tour Number One, join the fray.
