EXCLUSIVE ..….Calum Hill has no hard feelings whatsoever despite having lost his 2026 PGA Tour card top 10 qualifying place to good friend and new Porsche Singapore Classic champ Richard Mansell.
Mansell, 29, birdied the closing hole for the Englishman to capture a maiden DP World Tour title in the event, reduced to three rounds due to bad weather cancelling out any play on the intended first round last Thursday on the host Laguna National course.
Waiting behind the 18th green was Mansell’s wife of some two years, Ellie who broke down in tears seeing her husband firstly leave his really long eagle ‘3’ putt some five-feet shy of the cup but then step-up and hole the victory birdie putt in post a closing 66, succeeding in his 103rd Tour event and in the process boosting his Tour career earnings to some £UK 2.4m.
Among those to comfort her was Hill and his American wife, Amanda and Ewen Ferguson (See video below).
The Scots, who are long-time friends of Mansell, along with Northern Ireland’s super-talented Tom McKibbon then rushed onto the green to spray water over the head of the new DP World Tour winner.
Richard Mansell’s wife, Ellie, breaks down as he wins for the very first time on Tour #PorscheSingaporeClassic pic.twitter.com/DurvcJOVAt
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 23, 2025
Hill and in his first event as the reigning Joburg Open champ posted a closing 69 for a five-under tally and a share of 49th while Ferguson a 71 and one stroke fewer at six-under in a tie for 43rd.
Hill said: “It was great being there for Richard when he won, as he was there for me when I won in Joburg.
“So, it was nice to be able to be there for him. We were all out for dinner last night and he said he was feeling great about his game, so both Ewen and I were delighted for him
“It’s been a good week, and it was nice that the weather cleared following Thursday’s downpour, and we got three rounds in.
“The forecast predicted more rain for Friday, Saturday and Sunday but the forecast changed, and we got lucky. Though this course does dry out fantastically well given the area it is in the world.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming to Singapore and enjoyed being here at Laguna National.
“It does get very sweaty with the humidity but it’s good”.
Though when Hill jumped on the ‘net’ he would have noted that Mansell had jumped 84 places to be now 10th on the Race to Dubai money list, bumping Hill back two places to No. 13.
As well, China’s Hoatong Lee who shared ninth place at 11-under with Scot Robert MacIntyre moved also to ninth on the Race to Dubai.
The top 10 on the rankings at year’s end, and not otherwise exempt, will earn full 2026 PGA Tour status as was the scenario when fellow Scot Bob MacIntyre earned his card for the 2024 PGA Tour season.
However, with LIV Golf duo both Tyrrell Hatton at No. 2 and South African Shaun Norris No. 4 and both ineligible to play on the PGA Tour it means Hill is now effectively 11th on the list.
Hill said: “Competing in America next year is still the goal and to be high enough up the Race to Dubai rankings at present has made for a nice start in relation to that goal.
“Hopefully, I can keep myself in a position to get one of those PGA Tour cards for next year”.
MEANTIME …
Newly turned 50-year-old David Drsydale will join 64 other players later today (Monday) teeing-up on the Bermuda Dunes course in California and looking to secure one of three places into Friday’s starting $US 2.2m Champions Tour The Galleri Classic event.
Drysdale’s top 12 finish in last December’s Champion Tour Q-School has made him exempt for Monday qualifying including this week’s tournament at the famed Rancho Mirage course at Mission Hills.
The Scot will make his fully-exempt European Legends Tour debut last next month in Barbados.
