DP World Tour Qualifying School second stage: Ben Coley's players to watch

Isla Canela Links

The class acts

TAKUMI KANAYA is only 24 years old but this formerly top-class amateur has already spent time in the top 50 of the pro ranks, and remains a player of huge potential. He defied a slowish start to top his first stage qualifier before returning home to play in the ZOZO Championship and then the Japan Open, finishing fifth in the latter to underline that he ought to be coming through this admittedly strong sectional.

Right behind Kanaya in the betting are PIETER MOOLMAN and BENJAMIN HEBERT, two players who've been around a good while longer. Hebert ought to be on the DP World Tour, where he was a three-time runner-up as recently as 2019. His game looks to be coming around, too, after a top-20 finish in Portugal, while Moolman has taken his game to new heights on the Sunshine Tour of late.

Of the trio, Hebert looks the best value at 18/1. He's proven by the coast, his warm-up last week should have him primed, and he has some positive albeit dated Qualifying School experience. Backing favourites in tournaments where there's no real prize for winning isn't especially appealing but it'll be a surprise if he's not inside the top dozen or so here.

On their best form, the likes of HAYDN PORTEOUS, MATTEO MANASSERO, FELIPE AGUILAR, LEE SLATTERY, JULIAN SURI and OLIVER FISHER all deserve a mention. Each has won on the DP World Tour but arrives here at a crossroads, albeit Suri's 13th place in France at the end of September is a strong form line.

The potential stars

There are any number of stars in the making in this section, not least the favourite. Next on the list is arguably the man who finished third to him at first stage, ELVIS SMYLIE. This Australian has been touted for some time but has struggled on DP World Tour invites, missing all seven cuts. However, these are much calmer waters and despite the odd big number, he sailed through at Mottram Hall.

BEN SCHMIDT won on the EuroPro Tour a month ago and followed that with 11th and third on the Challenge Tour, finishing 80th on the Road to Mallorca having played in only six events. The Rotherham youngster is a former winner of the Brabazon Trophy who has really impressed of late and while this is arguably the toughest of the four stage two qualifiers, there's a good chance he comes through it.

Denmark's JOHN AXELSEN is behind only Kanaya and Moolman in the market with good reason: he's just won the Nordic Golf League Order of Merit having captured two of the final three events on that satellite circuit. Others to have done so include Rikard Karlberg, Lucas Bjerregaard and Tapio Pulkkanen, and there's no doubt this 24-year-old has enormous potential. He played with the Hojgaard twins when Denmark won the Eisenhower Trophy in 2018 and will be eager to show he belongs with them.

Finally, FILLIPO CELLI won the Silver Medal at St Andrews having captured the European Amateur Championship before that, succeeding CHRISTOFFER BRING. Celli has already had a look at contending on the DP World Tour and came through a first stage qualifier on home soil with the minimum of fuss. It's still very early days but having turned pro in September, finishing down the field in the Italian Open, he stepped forward for a good 27th in Portugal last week.

As for Bring, his NGL form is some way behind that of Axelsen but he was second at first stage and also has pedigree. Of the five, he's the biggest price and understandably so, but that only serves to underline just how stacked this qualifier is.

The wild cards

BRADEN THORNBERRY was once considered one of the best young golfers in the USA, having made an immediate impression when storming to fifth place on his PGA Tour debut five years ago. He's not managed lift-off since then but did top Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School in 2019, while more recently he contended on that circuit a couple of times in the spring.

MATTHEW OSHRINE is another American with a good college pedigree and it was hard not to be impressed by his dominant, seven-shot victory in his first stage qualifier. Combine that with a Korn Ferry Tour top-10 from last summer plus some decent form in South America and he merits a nod along with NATHAN BARBIERI, who could've featured in the potential stars section having been a top-50 amateur.

Barbieri started well in the Dunhill Links a month ago, his first tournament outing since May, and has already shown himself to be one of the better players seeking their ticket out of Australia. Like Thornberry, he missed out at Korn Ferry Tour Q School after a poor final round a few weeks ago but this is probably a bit easier.

Finally, OLLY HUGGINS might've deserved a mention among potential stars. He's hard to get a handle on at the moment but showed up well on a Challenge Tour invite back in August before coming through first stage.

Emporda Golf

The class acts

ALEJANDRO CANIZARES has been one of the many golfers trying to salvage their cards on the DP World Tour, ultimately coming up short despite some good form since August. The Spaniard came to life with seventh place at Crans, added 28th in the Dunhill Links and 20th in the Open de Espana, then signed off the campaign with 37th in Mallorca, all of which is really strong form in this context.

It's no surprise he's favourite, though perhaps Australian pair JAMES MARCHESANI and MAVERICK ANTCLIFF are entitled to be closer ho him in the betting. Antcliff continues to hit the ball to a very high standard and ended a difficult season seemingly having found a fix for deep-rooted putting woes. If that is indeed the case, watch him go. As for Marchesani, he bossed his first stage qualifier and is a rock-solid operator.

Others of note include veteran STUART MANLEY, the capable, strong-driving GARRICK PORTEOUS and, strictly speaking the best player here on his absolute best form, JARMO SANDELIN. The Swede, now 55, edged through first stage and will struggle here, but I've been writing about golf for a long time and don't think I've had the pleasure of typing his name out before.

The potential stars

It says something about the absence of depth here that FREDERIK BIRKELUND and LUIS MASAVEU are two of the top five in the betting – though it says as much, perhaps, about their potential.

Birkelund is yet another young Dane with the world seemingly at his feet, having won twice on his way to a close fourth behind Axelsen in the 2022 Order of Merit. He has 10 top-10 finishes in his last 11 starts at that level and though untested beyond it, bear in mind he only turned professional this summer. Who knows how far he may go in the game.

Masaveu remains an amateur for now but we caught a glimpse of a bright future when he opened up with a round of 66 in the Open de Espana, where he eventually settled for 34th. Inside the top 100 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, he'd already come through his first stage qualifier with a pair of bogey-free 67s and he gets to play on home soil here.

Others of note include OIHAN GUILLAMOUNDEGUY who, like Masaveu, grabbed the opportunity to impress on home soil in his national open recently. Guillamoundeguy was 12th at halfway before fading and has since completed his first Alps Tour season, during which he won en route to 14th place in the Order of Merit.

GREGORIO DE LEO topped that list having won three times in seven starts from May to July, yet finds himself a bigger price. That might prove generous as while he's struggled at a higher level so far, it's early days and he did return to the Alps Tour to finish 15th and sixth and round off a breakthrough campaign.

The wild cards

This sectional has the potential to cause an upset and ZHENG-KAI BAI, or Bobby to his mates, is the one who stands out at 50s.

Once a high-class amateur, he shot a second-round 64 in one of his first DP World Tour opportunities back in 2019 and later went on to win the Foshan Open, a valuable Challenge Tour event in his homeland. He didn't just win it, either: Bai romped to a four-shot victory over the Marty Dou, Calum Hill, Richard Bland, Alexander Knappe and Adrian Meronk, all of them winners at a good level since.

Clearly, things haven't gone to plan since then but let's not underestimate how difficult it's been for golfers from certain countries over the last couple of years, Bai included. Besides, 13th place in the Czech Masters in August is recent enough form and he'd have made a couple more cuts on the DP World Tour since then had his putter behaved. It's likely he remains a player with something to offer at a higher level than this, for all that he'll need to improve on a missed cut at the same course during summer.

Another to catch my eye was JOHN LYRAS, who decided he had to turn pro when qualifying for the Wyndham Championship in 2019. Six months later he's another who found his career impacted severely by the pandemic, and the Australian might still be capable of delivering on early promise. When last seen back home he threatened to win several times, ultimately delivering five top-20s in seven.

He's one of those seven Australians who took advantage of a home qualifier and while Marchesani, Blake Collyer and Tom Power-Horan are more established, Lyras might just have a bit more potential than the latter duo in particular and is around double their price. He also has some recent albeit painful experience he can hopefully learn from: Lyras shot five-over in round four of an equivalent Korn Ferry Tour event a couple of weeks ago, missing out on guaranteed starts by just three shots.

Finally, KIET VAN DER WEELE is one of the brightest prospects among a number of good young Dutch players. He rather fell over the line in France to earn a spot here and it might be too soon for a player who only recently turned professional, but he made the cut in both Challenge Tour starts in September and looks to have a bright future.

Desert Springs Golf Club

The class acts

There are a handful of DP World Tour regulars in here, including veterans DAVID DRYSDALE and GRAEME STORM. The latter enjoyed his finest hour when beating Rory McIlroy and Jordan Smith to the SA Open title but has struggled since, making just one cut on the main tour all year. He's far too short at 40/1 to my eye but has a touch of class if he can build on a decent effort on the Challenge Tour last month.

As for Drysdale, he's at least shown something with a top-10 finish in Portugal, a good start in Mallorca, and an even better one in mainland Spain before that. Quite how he's 33s to Storm's 40s I'm not sure and while the veteran Scot hasn't done much winning over the years, he did land the Challenge Tour Grand Final from a perilous position in the standings. He's a bigger price than he should be at 33/1.

Others of note include another SA Open winner, CHRIS PAISLEY, who last made a cut in March and hasn't been hitting the ball at all well despite a sweet-looking swing. Lorenzo Gagli is another out-of-sorts plotter who could come alive, but the most compelling recent form claims come from NIKAS LEMKE and RIKARD KARLBERG. The Swedes both got involved in Portugal last time and are key players here.

In a cosmopolitan field, WA Open winner DEYEN LAWSON is at the top of his game having led from start to finish there. That alone has earned him favouritism and to a degree that's understandable, while DYLAN NAIDOO brings recent winning form too having triumphed at last in his South Africa. He's got talent and if things don't work out here, watch for him kicking on in 2023.

The potential stars

TOM VAILLANT is yet another French youngster riding the post-Ryder Cup wave. Third on the Alps Tour Order of Merit having captured two titles in as many weeks during summer, he showed what he could do at a higher level when in the mix for the Open de France for a while. Since then, he's captured the European Men's Club Cup in Portugal to sign off his amateur career in style, and now enters the pro ranks with Challenge Tour status already guaranteed.

It's no wonder, given the field, that Vaillant and DAN ERICKSON are right towards the head of the betting. Erickson was a borderline top-class amateur when playing out of Texas A&M and has gone close to winning on the Sunshine Tour, where he's managed a handful of starts. He shot 20-under to co-medal in Italy and has to be respected given that he falls into the could-be-anything category, but I'd rather back Vaillant at the prices.

Watch out too for JACK THOMPSON, an Aussie who feels he's not always been given the credit he deserves despite being one of the best amateurs in the country for a while. He won the Gippsland Super 6 soon after turning pro and his form lately is solid, including a good start on the Challenge Tour back in summer.

Thompson's compatriot HAYDEN HOPEWELL remains an amateur for now and reached the last 16 of the US Amateur during summer. He's played nicely in two pro events back home in recent weeks and is expected to go to achieve big things. A winner already in the 2020 Western Australian Open, a title he was unfortunate not to capture again back in May, he's got to be of some interest.

The wild cards

Germany's Pro Golf Tour is a strong developmental circuit which has seen Sami Valimaki, Hurly Long, Nicolai von Dellinghausen and Marcel Schneider come through its ranks recently, and Martin Kaymer once upon a time.

This year's Order of Merit winner was MICHAEL HIRMER, a good if not exceptional amateur whose pro career has really taken off since he won for the second time last August. Since then, the German has added another title plus three runner-up finishes and is another who has a Challenge Tour card for next year tucked away.

At the other end of the experience scale, watch out for MIKAEL LUNDBERG. The Swede, a former DP World Tour winner, captured the Europro Tour Championship here three years ago this week. Also a winner in Spain on the NGL, his best days are behind him now but the 49-year-old did manage a top-three finish on the Challenge Tour this summer and has come through Q School several times.

Finally, JOEL MOSCATEL and LACHLAN BARKER both finished spectacularly at first stage. Barker is a former winner of the Malaysian Amateur who has a low-key US college career behind him. Moscatel achieved more in the amateur ranks and while yet to win on the Alps Tour, he's gone close several times. More pertinently, 13th place on his latest Challenge Tour start reads well in this company.

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club

The class acts

Big names are hard to find now that Mike Lorenzo Vera has withdrawn, with the best recent DP World Tour form coming courtesy of RICARDO SANTOS purely on the basis that he made eight of his last 10 cuts. Ireland's NIALL KEARNEY has shown flashes over the last two years but less so recently, and CORMAC SHARVIN has struggled badly.

As a result, BEN STOW finds himself towards the top of the betting. Back from injury this year and only narrowly missing out on the Challenge Tour Grand Final, this prodigious driver is a player I like. It's also worth saying that the gap between him and BENJAMIN POKE in Challenge Tour markets has generally been far wider than it is here, though Poke has Q School credentials and started to offer more towards the end of the season.

Perhaps the class act then is in fact JEPPE KRISTIAN ANDERSEN, who went 2-1 to end the Nordic Golf League season and won three titles in total. The trouble is that he's only shown brief flashes on the Challenge Tour, whereas fellow satellite star DERMOT MCELROY, from the EuroPro Tour, has gone close at that level. This one is a minefield, in truth.

The potential stars

A minefield it may be, but two players with vast potential do feature in the shape of JULIEN SALE and CONNOR MCKINNEY.

Sale is yet another young French player going places, having signed off his amateur career with 26th place in the Open de France. Since then he's finished eighth and third in two Alps Tour starts, making it 11 top-10 finishes for the season to secure Challenge Tour playing rights for 2023. He's highly-touted and must be on the radar for all he lacks experience.

So does McKinney, a very good amateur who couldn't have been any more impressive in his Portugal qualifier, dominating from start to finish. To do that at 20 says much about the talent this youngster possesses, and having been born in Dunfermline there may well be some regret in years to come that he's chosen to represent Australia, where he's spent his formative years.

Those Scottish roots might nevertheless have helped him to capture the St Andrews Links Trophy back in June and he comes here on the back of a decent share of 24th in the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship. That does mean he's flying in from Thailand but hopefully jet lag doesn't halt the progress of one of the most exciting talents across all four fields.

The wild cards

It's hard to find names to put in this segment, hence I've kept former Abu Dhabi winner GARY STAL back rather than include among the class acts. The Frenchman certainly is at his best but he's also a wild card, capable of anything on any given day: see rounds of 65 and 82 among his last six.

Stal though has shown plenty of signs of encouragement this year, triggered by a top-five in Spain, and it's not hard to envisage him playing a hand.

AUSTIN BAUTISTA is a mini-tour legend of sorts in the USA, the young Aussie having won plenty of one- and two-day events for little money, but he did step up to capture a title back home earlier this year. Recent form would be a worry and the same applies to JAY MACKENZIE, a carefree Australian who reckoned he'd been shanking it for months before his form turned in the spring, culminating in a victory over Bautista in the Western Australian PGA.

From closer to home, top-100 amateur BAILEY GILL is finding his feet as a professional and contended on the Challenge Tour a month ago. The left-hander won a MENA Golf Tour event in February 2020 but still hasn't yet caught Greg Norman's eye. He can make a good fist of progressing to Final Stage.