Swiss success on Challenge Tour boosts Euan Walker's DP World Tour card bid

Due to persistent inclement conditions and a flooded course at Golf Saint Apollinaire in Folgensbourg, which is actually in France, the event was decided over just 36 holes.

Having opened with a 69, Walker was four shots off the lead after 18 holes and found himself chasing a clubhouse target of four under when the second and final circuit resumed on Sunday.

Finding his best form at just the right time, the 29-year-old Ayrshireman carded a bogey-free six-under-par 66 for a nine-under total and, after an anxious wait, it was job done.

Walker won by three shots from Englishman Bradley Bawden (68) and Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan (69), with 2019 Scottish Open runner-up Benjamin Hebert from France a shot further back in fourth after a closing 71.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” said Walker of his success, which was worth around £27,000 and came in a stop-start event, with play even being suspended at one point on Sunday due to fog. “Even though it was just a 36-hole event, it still feels like I have won a big event.

“It feels as though it’s been a long time since I last won and I’ve had a lot of really good results since then but just not quite good enough. It feels like this week I’m back on track again and really playing close to my best. Yeah, it was only two rounds, but I played beautifully.”

The victory, which was set up by birdies at the first, fourth, sixth and seventh to be out in 32 before picking up shots at the 15th and 17th in coming home in 34, came at a perfect time in the season for Scot.

He went into the fourth last regular event of the campaign sitting 45th - the cut-off mark for the season-ending Grand Final supported by The R&A - in the Road to Mallorca Rankings but, having jumped to around 20th, he will now definitely be teeing up Club de Golf Alcanada in Port d'Alcúdia at the end of next month for the third year in a row.

Walker has agonisingly missed out on finishing in the all-important top 20 in the season-long battle for DP World Tour cards for the last two years, having ended up 24th in 2022 then 26th last November.

Having backed up a breakthrough win at St Mellion, though, in the 2022 British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management, he’ll be heading back to Mallorca feeling quietly confident that it can be third-time lucky for him in his bid to secure a step up to the main tour.

“It is massively important,” he said of winning again. “I feel as though I have been playing well enough all year to make the Grand Final, but I’ve not had a lot to show for it.

“In 45th position, I was right on the borderline and needing a good performance to make it to Mallorca. I was thinking the two events in China might be my last ones of the season as I kept slipping back in the rankings.

“So to have a week like this is absolutely amazing a) to go in the two events in China with a bit of confidence and b) to make it back to Mallorca for a third year in a row. I know the venue, it’s a lovely spot, and hopefully third-time lucky this year - and that we also get four days of nice weather!”