European Tour Qualifying School – 28 players earned their way onto the bigger stage
The European Tour Qualifying School’s Final Stage finally ended on Thursday, allowing a total of 28 players – the top-25 and ties – to retain or earn their full-time playing rights for the upcoming European Tour season.
Among 28 qualifiers, nine players will be playing their rookie season on the European Tour next year.
The Final Qualifying Stage was being played at the PGA Catalunya Resort’s Tour Course and the Stadium Course. A total of 872 players competed against each other in three different stages of the qualifying school.
Moritz Lampert, Peter Erofejeff, David Higgins and Scott Arnold were the only four players who participated in each of the three stages to earn their cards for the 2013 season.
Among them, Lampert was the only amateur to make it to the bigger stage. He became the first amateur to earn his card, since Oliver Fisher did the same in 2006.
He carded an 11-under par overall score to finish tied for the fourth position. Right after completing his final round, he decided to turn professional and made the announcement, accordingly.
Peter Erofejeff, in the meantime, also finished tied for the fourth spot on the leaderboard, and was pleased to return home in time, as his wife was expecting the birth of their first child.
He said, “The baby was due yesterday and I agreed with my wife that if it came early I would stay here and play. So I’m very glad it hasn’t happed yet. I’m absolutely delighted and it’s going to be a very exciting few months coming up”.
Erofejeff remained consistent, right from the beginning of the tournament. Entering the final round, he was sharing the 11th position.
Therefore, he only needed to retain his spot on the leaderboard, which he did by posting an impressive two-under par 70, at the tougher Stadium Course.
Talking the European Tour’s website, he stated that he tried to remain calm and focused on his natural game.
As a result, he avoided making mistakes in the final moments of the tournament, and earned three birdies against a lone bogey to earn his way onto the bigger stage.
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