Ben Coley profiles new DP World Tour members via Qualifying School

Edoardo Molinari

Better known for Ryder Cup supporting role and being the go-to stats man these days but showed the fire still burns with a classy display at Final Stage. Truth be told he's still well up to winning from a tee-to-green perspective and how he fares in this final act will be determined by the putter.

Niklas Lemke

Storming finish to the Challenge Tour season and carried that with him to Spain to chase home Molinari. Always had talent and was known as a big-hitter when turning pro, albeit he's probably only a shade above average now given the way the game has changed. From September 2019 to March 2021 he bagged seven top-10s on the DP World Tour and has the ability.

Davis Bryant

American youngster who has done a bit of damage on minor tours in the US since turning pro following a good amateur career. Only player at Final Stage to break 70 every day, closing with a nine-under 62, and while a bit of an unknown is also a player of clear potential. Note that he's down to play Korn Ferry Tour Second Stage in a few weeks and that may yet become his preferred path.

Albert Boneta

Spaniard who enjoyed a good college career in New Mexico, where Victor Perez and Gavin Green were both once standouts. Won on the Alps Tour at just the second attempt while still an amateur and added a Challenge Tour top-10 amid a run of 6-7-6 through all three Q-School stages. Not the biggest and at this stage am guessing a bit as to where his strengths lie.

Alexander George Frances

Son of a Leeds United fan who has made his home as a golf coach in Denmark, so was bred for the job. Four wins on the Nordic Golf League offer promise but struggled so far in limited starts on the Challenge Tour, plus one at this level.

Wilco Nienaber

Of course you likely know of Nienaber's length – he boasts the longest driver in DP World Tour history – but only now will he have a card in his pocket to go and show what he can do on the DP World Tour. In fairness he's had conditional status and plenty of chances before but I remain of the view he could really flourish now he's better able to schedule, which hasn't been the case for a while. Powered home at Final Stage. One PGA Tour pro said: "I played with a lot of long players; he’s the longest I’ve seen."

Bastien Amat

One of the best French amateurs we've seen and came through two stages of Q-School to earn his card, meaning he'll turn pro now. Entered in the same Korn Ferry Tour qualifier as Bryant as things stand.

Ryggs Johnston

Top-50 amateur out of Arizona State who turned professional this summer and has started to show promise at a minor level. Tall and powerful, he's another who has an entry at Second Stage Korn Ferry Tour Q-School but has hinted he may not go. "I want to be one of the best golfers in the world," he said when making the move into the paid ranks.

Clement Sordet

T1 at Second Stage and then close to the lead throughout Final Stage, neither of which counts as surprising as this underachiever has always had plenty of talent. We first saw it when he nearly won a big event in Thailand as a relative unknown and he's plainly far too good for the Challenge Tour, so despite a poor year on the DP World Tour it's good that he's back. Past winner and runner-up in South Africa; drives it well.

Jean Bekirian

Played under the French flag as an amateur but it's Armenia now, making him the first such player in history to earn DP World Tour status. While it's clear from his social media that this is a genuine switch, he has also met the head of the country's Olympics committee, no doubt with an eye on LA. Seldom outside the top 10 on the strong ProGolf Tour.

Joshua Berry

Still just 19 and yet came through Final Stage for a second time with an imperious final round in Spain. Only played 14 DP World Tour events in 2024, splitting his time between that and the Challenge Tour due to a lack of opportunities, and remains to be seen how that helps or hinders the progress of a potential star with no obvious weakness.

Dan Erickson

Texas A&M graduate who has barely played a professional event out of South Africa, where he's been based for a couple of years and proven competitive on the Sunshine Tour. Was a top 50 amateur whose experience in South Africa might be an immediate benefit, for all that his form is a bit of a worry.

Gregorio De Leo

Played plenty of good golf on the Challenge Tour this year without doing enough and then eagled the final hole at Q-School to secure his card, when birdie was the minimum requirement. Judging by his biceps and some encouraging if limited SG data, probably hits it far enough. Said he struggled until landing in Europe last year so that's something to keep an eye on.

Corey Shaun

Decent if not elite amateur who made a nice transition to the pro game, winning in Canada to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership, then beginning his rookie season with third place. That was almost three years ago and he's largely struggled since, including at both First and Second Stage which he barely scraped through. In fact, he lost a play-off at the latter only to get into Final Stage as an alternate. The margins in this game, eh?

Benjamin Follett-Smith

Five-shot winner on the Challenge Tour when under the gun and this former Asian Tour Q-School winner again showed plenty of mettle in Spain, where he had work to do at halfway. Very streaky, as demonstrated during the Covid summer of 2020 when he played some short-form events in the UK, and might pop up with a first-round lead. Can putt the lights out and one way or another probably prefer low-scoring events.

Ben Schmidt

Former Walker Cup player who felt he'd played a lot of good golf without reward during the Challenge Tour season, before a strong fortnight in China enabled him to sneak into the Grand Final and, in turn, skip Second Stage. Became a battle in the end but under-par back-nine got the job done and will join a biggish Yorkshire contingent which includes Dan Bradbury, Alex Fitzpatrick, Sam Bairstow and John Parry.

Justin Harding

Two-time DP World Tour winner who was 12th in the Masters five years ago but has struggled more recently, partly due to injury. Showed some promising signs towards the end of the DP World Tour season and held on grimly after late mistakes at Final Stage. Considered by many peers to boast one of the best wedge games around and has made the long putter sing, but can be very erratic.

Danny List

"Danny List really impressed me. If he can stay healthy he might be the surprise." Those the words of Ryan French of @acaseofthegolf1, better known as Monday Q Info, who was out in Spain working with the Tour. If you don't know Ryan, then you're probably not on twitter and are therefore winning at life. Nevertheless, you should get to know one of the great champions of the non-elite golf pro. List meanwhile hasn't done much so far but, as you can see from the below, he's had a rough ride with injuries.

Tadeas Tetak

Probably the best player on the ProGolf Tour this year having been third in the Order of Merit but played fewer events than the top two. Certainly one of the most promising players we've seen from Slovakia, inspired no doubt by Rory Sabbatini (this is a joke), and has shown a bit of promise on the Challenge Tour. Can't help feeling he might've been better off passing through that grade first, however.

Wil Besseling

Powerful ball-striker who has got better with age, albeit largely because of some fitness struggles in his youth. Putter is the biggest problem he faces but back up in grade following birdie-birdie-birdie finish and perhaps that'll help him kick on now with his 39th birthday upcoming. Definitely good enough from tee-to-green but fact he couldn't graduate through Challenge Tour suggests short-game problems remain.

Jacob Skov Olesen

Like Amat, a high-class amateur whose lefty swing made TV screens during the Danish Golf Championship, where he did well in the mix. Not quite so impressive under final-day pressure at Q-School, where he shot a closing 73 that will cost him a few starts given that players are ranked by finishing position. Still, job done for this new pro who reportedly doesn't intend to go to KFT Q-School despite an entry there.

Who will fare best in 2025?

Even more so than the Challenge Tour graduates, those progressing via Final Stage have a difficult time putting a schedule together, with no realistic prospect of getting into the events in the Middle East which kick off the year.

Several of last year's class ended up winning Challenge Tour events, a damning indictment of the current pathways, and it's right that the DP World Tour reduced the number of available cards to 20 and ties. It should allow more players to plan proper schedules.

Still, those at the bottom are going to struggle and while inspiration can be taken from Joe Dean, who graduated in 22nd a year ago, one swallow doesn't make a summer. Overwhelmingly, these players will struggle. That's simply the reality of the system, for better or worse.

The safest bet here, I believe, is WILCO NIENABER, however that might sound. I know he's been a bit expensive to follow including on the Challenge Tour this year, but four events at home in South Africa (he should get into three of them at the very least), others on suitable courses in the Middle East and a generally longer, tougher schedule should bring out the best in this outrageous talent who has by all accounts knuckled down this year.

Bastien Amat is among the relative unknowns along with the American contingent (among whom Ryggs Johnston would get the vote) and Albert Boneta, while Niklas Lemke is more than capable of keeping his card now he's rediscovered his best. It's a while ago but Lemke was once considered the most exciting young player in Sweden and at 40, he could yet find a way to win on the DP World Tour at last.

Ultimately though, whoever among these keeps their card will have done phenomenally well.

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