Richie O’Donovan has earned category nine status for the 2023/24 season on the Sunshine Tour after the Lucan native finished in a four-way tie for 17th in the Final Qualifying stage at Heron Banks Golf and River Club.
A three-over 74 wasn’t quite the way he’d planned it, but qualification was all that counted and with the top-20 and ties all securing playing rights, he did enough to earn his card, thanks largely to his four-under 67 in round three, which was the lowest score of the day bar one.
Two early bogeys in the final round were offset with birdies at six and nine as he turned at level par for the day and comfortably inside the all-important top 20, but three bogeys on the back nine, including a costly six at the par-5 15th and another at 17 left O’Donovan needing to par the last or he’d be in serious danger of missing out.
But par it he would, joining the trio already in the clubhouse at -2 for the week, and he’ll now be eligible for the season-opening FBC Zim Open at Royal Harare Golf Club in Zimbabwe from May 4-7 as he looks to secure his status further before the mid-season shuffle based on early season form.
Leading qualifier honours went to South Africa’s Sean Cronje who fired an impressive -15 for the four rounds, finishing three ahead of fellow South Africans Gerhard Trytsman and Jonathan Broomhead. The runners-up were two of three amateurs to secure playing rights, and they’ll now relinquish their amateur status and pursue their dreams of making it as professionals.
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