Challenge Tour Order of Merit leader Neergaard-Petersen is one to watch

With the 2024 Challenge Tour already 10 events through its 29 tournament schedule – let’s have a profile look as well as see how Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, the current Road to Mallorca leader and winner of the UAE Challenge held last month at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is progressing.

The goal of the DP World Tour’s Development Tour – the Challenge Tour, is to provide a pathway for golfers to advance up the global golfing ladder. Players to have historically come through the Challenge Tour over the years include Dubai-based players Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolas Colsaerts, as well as Justin Rose and most recently Matteo Manassero.

Twenty-four-year-old Neergaard-Petersen, who is from Denmark, is also 160th in the current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Last year in just nine events on the Challenge Tour he finished in 64th place.

He finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma State less than a year ago and after representing his country in the amateur game, he helped the International team win the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup while studying in the United States.

He joins a long line of 'Pokes' to make their way in the professional game. In his debut event on a sponsor’s invite at the 2023 BMW International, he came tied seventh, three shots back of the champion Thriston Lawrence (RSA) earning a cheque for €47,197.85.

Neergaard-Petersen’s largest purse to date is at the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship where he tied 22nd to take home a cheque for €50,120.14.

His most recent tournament was last week at the Danish Golf Challenge in his home country, where he finished tied sixth on 14 under par.

This year he has had two victories on the Challenge Tour so far: in the Kolkata Challenge in India in March, as well as at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in the UAE Challenge, where he has rounds of 65, 72, 70 and 67, to take the top place and a cheque for €44,752.94 and 320 Order of Merit points.

He also came tied for 7th in the Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, the week before his win in the UAE capital.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better start to the season. A big goal of mine this year was to win, so having done that twice already is exceeding expectations,” said Neergaard-Petersen. “A new goal is to win a third time – but it is tough to win.”

He looks to be the outstanding player of the Class of 2024 on the Challenge Tour with a dominating lead of over 400 points from second-placed John Parry (Eng).

The goal of all the Challenge Tour players is to be in the top 20 at the season's end – who all gain their DP World Tour privileges for the 2025 season.

The other option to gain promotion to the DP World Tour by winning three times in a season on the Challenge Tour.

He would join the likes of Eduardo Molinari (2009), Brooks Koepka (2013), Aaron Rai (2017) and last week’s winner of the Soudal Open in Belgium, Nacho Elvira (2015).

We will be watching the UAE Challenge winner on how he continues his 2024 season.

Race to Mallorca Points table

(after the Danish Golf Challenge, Sunday 27th May, 2024):

• Challenge Tour: Porteous's win in Al Ain and Dubai amateur Oscar Craig's promising debut were the standout performances