One of the best men’s college players in the country is about to get his DP World Tour card.
There is, however, a catch.
Tiger Christensen, a 21-year-old from Hamburg, Germany, was among 24 players who advanced to one of four venues for the second stage of the DPWT Q-School, with a score of 3-under 68 to climb seven places and tie for 16th. Sunday at Golf Las Pinaillas in Albacete, Spain. But despite what he does at the final stage, Christensen plans to return for his final semester at the University of Arizona.
Christensen’s college coach, Jim Anderson, said Christensen hopes to achieve status through PGA Tour University. Christensen is currently No. 14 in the rankings, a position that would qualify him for PGA Tour Americas status; the top 10 players in the final rankings, after the NCAA Championship, earn at least conditional Korn Ferry Tour cards, with the No. 1 player earning a PGA Tour card.
If Christensen, in amateur competition, finished in the top 20 and tied for a DPWT card in the six-round final round, which takes place Nov. 8-13 in Costa Dorada, Spain, he would have at least one tour to do. play this summer.
The Wildcats are ranked No. 11 nationally while Christensen is No. 16 individually thanks to four top-6 finishes in as many starts.
Two other amateurs, Jakob Skov Olesen and Max Kennedy, also advanced to the final stage, although they had both graduated from university. Kennedy, a Louisville alum, will turn professional once he finishes Q-School, while Olesen, who played his senior year at Arkansas, will have spots at the Masters, U.S. Open and The Open next year thanks to his triumph in the British Amateur, on the condition that he remains an amateur for them.
Here’s a look at the three Stage Two venues that finished on Sunday (the fourth, in Almeria, Spain, will conclude Monday with Americans Gavin Hall and Palmer Jackson comfortably placed to finish in the top 23):
GIRONA, SPAIN
Fontanals Golf Club
Medalists: Haydn Barron and Jacob Hrinda (-18)
Notable figures in progress: Ryggs Johnston, Rayhan Thomas, Bastien Amat, Charlie Reiter, Luis Masaveu, Aymeric Laussot, Scott Stevens, Teddy Tetak
The notables are not moving forward: Julian Perico, Edoardo Lipparelli, Jorge Garcia, Paul Chaplet, Canon Claycomb, Alvaro Quiros, Toby Tree, Oliver Fisher, Aman Gupta
HUELVA, SPAIN
Links to Canela Island
Medalists: Clément Sordet and Maximilien Steinlechner
Notable figures in progress: Taylor Funk, Jakob Skov Olesen, Adam Wallin, Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, Nick Carlson, Max Kennedy, Tom Lewis, Ben Sigel, Tim Tillmanns, Ryan Lumsden
The notables are not moving forward: Mark Power, Mats Ege, Jerome Lando-Casanova, Jimmy Zheng, Jack Wall, Hurly Long, Herman Wibe Sekne, Oliver Farr, Paul McBride, Juuso Kahlos
ALBACETE, SPAIN
Golf Las Pinailles
Medal: David Boriboonsub
Notable figures in progress: Chase Hanna, Christoffer Bring, Dan Erickson, James Nicholas, David Nyfjall, Tiger Christensen, Michael Miller, Spencer Cross, Marc Hammer
The notables are not moving forward: Jay Card III, Pedro Figueiredo, Charlie Huntzinger, Vince India, Ivan Ramirez, Rikard Karlberg, Alejandro Canizares, Ashley Chesters, Dan Brown, James Ashfield, Manuel Ballesteros, Jonas Blixt
