The field is set for the 2024 Challenge Tour Grand Final.
The 2024 Challenge Tour Grand Final takes place this week in Mallorca, with many players looking to secure one of the 20 DP World Tour cards available.
Supported by the R&A, the tournament on the Balearic Islands is the final event in the 2024 Road to Mallorca, which could prove to be life-changing for those who manage to punch a ticket to the big time.
Established in 1989, the Challenge Tour pathway has offered many European golfers a wonderful platform to achieve major championship victories and compete in the Ryder Cup. Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick – both US Open champions – began their careers there, while Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, and Robert MacIntyre have all played in winning Ryder Cup teams.
Previous winners of the Grand Final include Henrik Stenson (2000), Richard Bland (2001) and Adri Arnaus (2018). Although winning the event doesn’t necessarily guarantee a player fame and fortune in the upper echelons of the game, just ask James Hepworth and Stephen Scahill.
The event endured somewhat of a nomadic existence from 1995 until 2019, being held in Portugal, Cuba, France, Italy, and even Oman, before Mallorca became a stable host five years ago.
Among the 45-strong field, several players have claimed victories on the DPWT in the past and are looking to return to the top. Lucas Bjerregaard, who won twice on tour and finished T21 in the 2019 Masters, is seeking one of the 20 cards on offer. Alexander Levy, a five-time winner on tour, is another looking to return to previous glories. These two names certainly prove the notion that golf can be the cruelest of games.
2023 winner Marco Penge made just eight cuts on the DPWT this season, indicating that life is tough at the top. Who will follow in his footsteps and claim the 2024 Grand Final title this year?
Where is the Challenge Tour Grand Final held?
Club de Golf Alcanada, Mallorca, will host the event for the fourth time (2019, 2022, and 2023), with the Island staging the tournament for the sixth consecutive time.
The par-72, 7128-yard course provides a stern challenge as only once has the winning score reached double digits under par – Penge won by six strokes with a ten-under par score last year.
Running from the coast into the rolling hills, the scenery at Alcanada is outstanding. The view of the lighthouse across the bay to Alcudia is one of the very best in the country.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, the course is in immaculate condition with lush fairways and perfectly manicured putting surfaces. Five of the par fours measure under 400 yards, with the 15th hole coming in at just 289 yards.
Stern but fair seems to be the mantra of Club de Golf Alcanada, with those seeking a spot in the DPWT required to perform to the best of their abilities.
Who is in the field for the Challenge Tour Grand Final?
The top 45 players in the 2024 Road to Mallorca secured their spots in the Grand Final, with Englishman John Parry ranked number one heading into the event.
A three-time winner this year, Parry has already secured a return to the DPWT, but others have a fight on their hands. David Horsey, Wilco Nienaber, and Sam Hutsby find themselves lying outside the top 20 in the rankings ahead of the Grand Final.
The full field for the Challenge Tour Grand Final can be found here.
What is the format of the Challenge Tour Grand Final?
The format of the Challenge Tour Grand Final is a standard strokeplay event played over 72 holes, although there is no cut after 36 holes (two rounds). The player with the lowest score over four rounds will win the tournament.
Who will win the Challenge Tour Grand Final?
Selected odds for the Challenge Tour Grand Final will appear here when available.
How much will the winner of the Challenge Tour Grand Final receive?
The field will battle it out for a €500k prize fund in Mallorca this week, with the winner taking home a cheque worth €85k.
Who has won the Challenge Tour Grand Final?YearWinnerScoreVenue2023Marco Penge-10Club de Golf Alcanada2022Nathan Kimsey-9Club de Golf Alcanada2021Marcus Helligkilde-8T-Golf and Country Club2020Ondrej Lieser-11T-Golf and Country Club2019Francesco Laporta-6Club de Golf Alcanada2018Adri Arnaus-17Al Hamra Golf Club2017Clement Sordet-15Al Mouj Golf2016Brend Ritthammer-21Al Mouj Golf2015Ricardo Gouveia-13Al Mouj Golf2014Benjamin Hebert-12Al Badia Golf ClubChallenge Tour Grand Final: Tee times and groupings
Tee times and groupings for the Challenger Tour Grand Final will appear here when announced.
About the Author
Ross Kilvington – Contributing Golf News Writer
Ross Kilvington is a freelance writer from Scotland who currently writes previews for Today’s Golfer, covering events on the DP World, PGA, and LPGA tours along with the LIV Golf Series.
Ross holds a passionate interest in golf and tries to play as often as possible, although having two daughters under the age of 6 means his quest to break 80 will have to wait a little longer.
Despite first picking up a club aged 11, highlights are few and far between on the golf course.
An Eagle on the par-4 16th at Kinghorn is one that stands out (it doesn’t matter that it was only 290 yards).
