Liam Nolan edged closer to earning a DP World Tour card for next season after he backed up last week’s victory with a share of fifth place at the Hainan Open in China.
Nolan carded a final round of 69 for a seventeen-under total which was six shots behind Lars van der Wight. The top-5 finish moves the Galway man from 12th to 9th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, thus strengthening his position as he aims to earn one of fifteen DP World Tour cards available at the end of the season.
There is just one event left in China before the top-45 in the rankings progress to the Grand Final at the end of the month where the top-15 will secure DP World Tour promotion.
van der Vight secured his second HotelPlanner Tour title of the season and vaulted into a DP World Tour promotion place with a two-stroke victory.
The Dutchman carded a final round four under par 68 to reach 23 under, finishing ahead of Spaniard Joseba Torres, who ended the week on 21 under.
Van der Vight was relieved to get through a challenging final day, around a boiling Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s hard to describe. It has been a long, hard week but happy to be standing here.
“I felt like I played good golf. I didn’t make as many putts as I wish I did, but a solid day’s golf, very happy with the way I played, the way I handled myself, the way my caddie helped me out. It was a great day.”
Starting the day with a three-stroke advantage over Torres and Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen, van der Vight opened his birdie account at the first time of asking on the opening hole to stretch his advantage.
He would bogey the par five second as well as the seventh, but a trio of birdies from four to six, followed by another gain at nine meant the 24-year-old entered the back nine with a four-stroke cushion.
Van der Vight picked up one more birdie on the 12th before cooly parring out to secure his second title on the 2026 Road to Mallorca, despite not being fully aware of the scores of his opposition.
“It was hard to know where I was because there weren’t many leaderboards on the course, so it was hard to know what was going on,” he added.
“I had a feeling about what the guys in my group were doing, but I wasn’t really paying that much attention, just trying to play golf and walk out a happy man.
“Every part of my game was pretty good today. I felt like I didn’t play as good obviously as yesterday but overall the game was solid today, and all week.”
Earlier in the season, van der Vight earned his first HotelPlanner Tour title, shooting a 59 on his way to winning the German Challenge powered by VcG.
The Dutchman said getting over the line earlier in the season gave him the confidence to repeat his success today.
It showed, with no player ever getting within a shot of the eventual winner during the final round.
“Following Germany I came in today knowing that I can win, and that the feelings that you have are normal and everybody has them, and I knew I was good enough to win.
“It means a lot, we’re all fighting for one of those 15 spots so yes, very pleased with it.”
Leave a comment