Chris Wood has ended a more than nine-year winless drought in sensational fashion winning by six shots at the MENA Tour’s Q-School in Portugal.
Wood, 37 was a class all his own leading the 54-hole event from start to finish and the only player among some 60 starters to be under par on the host Troia Golf Course located on the Altlantic coastline to the south of Lisbon.
Wood posted scores of 66, 72 and closing 72 for his six-under victory tally.
Three players tied second at level par – Frenchman Nicolas Calvet (70), Scotland’s Sebastian Sandin (74) and England’s Will Marshall (72).
Wood along with his fellow Q-School followers will remain in Portugal for this coming week’s official start to the completely revamped 2025/26 MENA Tour season.
Wood’s success is a much-welcome return to form for the affable Englishman who in recent years has struggled both on and off the field to find the consistency that earned his four pro career wins, third in the 2016 Open Championship and selection later that year in European Ryder Cup side.
It was also 2016 when Wood captured the DP World Tour’s flagship PGA Championship and a 3rd Tour title and the fourth pro career win. Sadly, it was his then last taste of success.
It’s been widely reported how Wood dealt with the decline of his game thought he did not lose his urge to find his feet back on Tour and doing so by drawing on his exemption status, seeking invitations, competing on the secondary Hotel Planner Tour and also the Asian Tour.
This past year Wood teed-up in eight DP World Tour events but the game simply was not there, making the cut in just three and one being a T7th in the Turkish Airlines Open.
So, along came the re-emergance of the MENA Tour and with former DP World Tour’s Keith Waters at the helm, Wood spoke with Waters and given a revitalised and ‘family-friendly schedule’ as Wood remarked, he’s now got a proper second ‘home’.
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Scotland’s rookie pro Sebastain Sandin is returning home all smiles in securing MENA Tour status after posting a third and closing round
In June last year Sandin enjoyed huge success winning as an amateur on the Scottish Tartan Tour with his two shot success at the Cardrona Classic.
A few weeks later the now 23-year turned pro
