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 of the 13-event 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 all kinds of demons both on and off the field since the halcyon days in earning four pro career wins, a third in the 2016 Open Championship and selection later that year in European Ryder Cup side.
It was also in 2016 when Wood captured the DP World Tour’s flagship PGA Championship and a 3rd Tour title. 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 competitive 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 a fully revamped MENA Tour and with the former long-time DP World Tour administrator Keith Waters at the helm, Wood spoke with Waters and given a revitalised and ‘family-friendly MENA schedule’ as Wood remarked, he’s now got a proper second ‘home’SC
SANDIN ALL SMILES – SHARES SECOND IN PORTUGAL
Scotland’s rookie pro Sebastain Sandin is also all smiles in securing full 2025/26 season MENA Tour status after posting a third and closing round 72 to end in a three-way tie for second place.
The 23-year-old Dunblane golfer birdied the first but then dropped four shots from the fourth to eighth holes ahead of a 12th hole birdie and five closing pars and a level par tally on the host Troia course in Portugal.
Sandin’s top of the board effort will ensure full access to all 13 MENA Tour events from next week through to the last week of March 2026.
It will now ensure a ‘full’ year long schedule for the Scot ahead of a hopeful future step onto the DP World Tour.
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.
England’s Chris Wood was in a Portugal class all his own with the three-time DP Wold Tour winning and 2016 European Ryder Cup star posting a six-under tally and the only player to be under-par for the three rounds.
It is 37-year old Wood’s first win since the 2016 BMW PGA Championship.
