UAE resident Nicolas Colsaerts may have missed out on a fairytale victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, but his runner-up finish should be enough for the Belgian to regain DP World Tour status next season.
The 41-year-old was playing the tournament on a sponsor’s invitation, having lost his card last year and dropped down the Official World Golf Ranking.
However, there is a valid reason for his dip in form. Three years ago, Colsaerts was admitted to Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai, where doctors discovered fluid and multiple blood clots in his lungs caused by a rare kidney disease called primary membranous nephropathy. He described this discovery as “the scariest day of my life.”
Although he narrowly missed making yesterday one of the best days of his life - finishing just one shot behind Tyrrell Hatton at St Andrews, which would have secured his fourth DP World Tour title - his second-place finish should be enough to extend his playing career.
As a Non-Member, Colsaerts wasn’t eligible for Race to Dubai points, but he did make a significant move up the Non-Member Race to Dubai Points List, soaring 74 places to 11th. This puts him well within the provisional cutoff (27th) to earn DP World Tour membership in Category 10 for Challenge Tour Ranked Members or Affiliate Members.
“It means a lot,” said Colsaerts.
“I have to give credit for the Tour and all the promoters that I've known over the years for giving me 15 opportunities or 16 opportunities this year to actually try to get a job back.
“But listen, I feel part of the furniture. This has been my life for over 20 years now. I don't know, it looks like we're going to go back on the merry-go-round.”
As well as all but securing status for next season, Colsaerts also gave himself an opportunity to appear in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship next month.
As a Non-Member, he must earn as much as or more than the man in 70th place on the Race to Dubai standings to secure his spot in the Rolex Series event at Yas Links.
He currently has 670.12 points, while Adrien Saddier, who occupies 70th on the Race to Dubai, has 667.18 points.
Colsaerts will have the opportunity to gain further points at this week’s French Open, where he claimed his last DP World Tour title in 2019.
