Daylight Second As Lombard Storms Back To DP World Tour Winning Q-School Final By 13 Shots

2 months ago by Comments Off on Daylight Second As Lombard Storms Back To DP World Tour Winning Q-School Final By 13 Shots

Daylight was a distant second as South African Zander Lombard stormed his way back onto the 2026 DP World Tour, winning the Q-School six-round final by 13 strokes at Spain’s famed Infinitum Resort at Tarragona,

The 30-year-old Lombard underwent knee surgery at the start of this year so he was naturally sidelined for many events recouperting but then only to painfully fall short in securing full 2026 DP World Tour membership.

Lombard accepted the challenge earlier this month of finishing T10th at the Q-School Second stage and a good enough effort to tee-up last Friday in the Final Stage and now after truly remarkable rounds of 64, 69, 67, 64, 64 and a stunning closing 63 for a whopping 37-under tally he’s won back his Tour card in a most brilliant and unimaginable manner.

Lombard’s final round including nine birdies, capped by birdieing his first two holes for a third day running ahead also of three in succession from the 16th holes.  His only blemish being a bogey at the 15th.

Over the course of the 108 holes Lombard recorded two eagles, 43 birdies and 10 bogeys.

As mentioned above, Lombard’s 2025 was always going to uncertain year given being sidelined for seven months, needing to fully recouperate due to an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and medial menisnicus tear sustained playing a friendly game of padel with his young family and friends.

It is the second time he has secured his status on the DP World Tour through Qualifying School, having come second to Alejandro Cañizares at Final Stage in 2018.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it is what I came here to do,” said the nine-time pro winning Lombard.

“So, unreal. It’s hopefully the springboard for what the season has in store.

“It was a great week. A tough week, a long marathon… It was easy to just sit back and relax and start making a few errors, but my caddie and I were having fun, but we stayed focused the whole week and that produced the score we have on the board.

“It’s been a tough year and a half. From knee surgery, learning how to walk again, to trying to find my game the last six months and then really starting to enjoy the game again the last two. It’s been trending and hopefully I can keep this form for the year to come.”

Three players were tied in second place on 18-under including Aussie Connor McKinney (Last round 69), Canadian Aaron Cockerill (67) and delighted to see affable Indian Shubhanker Sharma (66) is returning to the main tour for the 2026 season.

Among others to finish inside the top-20 and secure 2026 DP World Tour membership were: T8th – Matthew Baldwin (England) and T12th – Eddie Pepperell (England), Adri Arnaus (Spain)

Big disappointment was Scotland’s Marc Warren with the 44-year-old and four-time DP World Tour champ missing out by one shot and this in posting fifth and final round of 66 for his 17-under tally.

 

 



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