Doncaster’s Josh Berry will arrive in South Africa on Monday as a DP World Tour player after completing one of the most astonishing golfing achievements of the year by making it through all 14 Q School rounds
FORMAT: 108-hole stroke play
The 18-year-old became the youngest European Tour player since Rory McIlroy thanks to a six round total of 15 under par at Final Qualifying in Spain. With the top 25 and ties earning their card, the England international did it by a shot, parring the last when he knew that’s what he needed.
He will begin his professional career at the Johannesburg Open on Thursday to complete a whirlwind two months. His last act as an amateur was to finish joint third at the North of England Open at Seaton Carew last month. Next week he will tee it up alongside fellow Yorkshireman Dan Bradbury – the defending champion from Wakefield – Dan Brown (Romanby) and Daniel Gavins (Howley Hall) plus a host of world-class players.
Berry will be joined by Crosland Heath’s George Hanson, who caddied for him on his remarkable journey through qualifying, and the teenager paid tribute to his dad Scott and mum Helen as he reflected on his achievement. The South Yorkshire ace was par or better across all 14 rounds rounds and made a mockery of his 560 WAGR ranking.
“When I phoned them to tell them I had done it they were in tears,” said Berry, who has had DP World Tour experience having played in the Czech Masters in August. He shot rounds of 74 and 70 and missed the cut by two shots.
“I wouldn’t have done it without all their efforts and it feels great. In a lot of four-round tournaments this year I have had two good round and two not-so-good rounds but this time I managed to put a run of good scores together.”
The South Yorkshire star arrived at the Infinitum Club for the Final Qualifying, buoyed by a brilliant display in the second stage event two weeks earlier. At the Fontanals club in Spain he made it through in second and could even afford a double bogey at the last.
He carried that momentum through when it really mattered last week, opening with a four-under-par 67 on the Lakes Course and was four-under again the day after on the Hills. Another four under effort on day four on the Lakes left him in seventh overall.
After the cut 78 players were left fighting out for those 25 tour cards and Berry finished round five in joint 16th thanks to a level-par 71.
And then delivered when he really needed to. His closing effort included 15 pars and one massive birdie at the 500-yard par four 15th. He rolled in a 20-footer to give him the buffer he needed and then kept his cool playing the last.
“There was a giant scoreboard by the tee so I knew I just needed a par. But that birdie on 15 was massive. I kept giving myself birdie opportunities without converting so that was really nice to see that drop.”
The teenager went with three wood at the last.
He added: “I could have gone for it but decided to lay up and still managed to give myself ten feet for birdie. I guess I could have three putted but when the par putt went in…that was the first time I allowed myself to say ‘I have done it.”