Last season Marco Penge finished the Back 9 battling for his card - this season he started it guaranteed a place in the DP World Tour Play-Offs.
Consisting of nine historic events across a ten-week span from August to October - with the Ryder Cup providing a short pause – players have the opportunity to make the top 70 on the Race to Dubai and qualify for the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The top 50 after the Rolex Series event at Yas Links will then head to Jumeirah Golf Estates for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
That is of no concern to Penge, however, as he is already Locked In as part of a stunning breakout season.
At the 2024 Genesis Championship, the Englishman entered the week one place the wrong side of the line to keep his card and needed a birdie on the last in round two to make the cut and keep his chances alive.
Birdie he did as he went on to finish 110th in the Rankings but he would face further adversity in the new season with an enforced break from the game for a breach of DP World Tour regulations.
Upon his return he made five of his first six cuts before lifting the trophy at the Hainan Classic for his first DP World Tour win.
A tie for second at the Genesis Scottish Open and another victory at the Danish Golf Championship then moved him up to second on the Race to Dubai, sealed the Closing Swing title and assured he was Locked In for the Play-Offs.
Players who are Locked In for the DP World Tour Play-Offs
Rory McIlroy
Marco Penge
Kristoffer Reitan
Haotong Li
Tyrrell Hatton
John Parry
Laurie Canter
Jordan Smith
Martin Couvra
Robert MacIntyre
* List does not include all players who have qualified for the DP World Tour Play-Offs
For the full Race to Dubai Rankings, click here.
