A look back at 2025

Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s time to look back on an eventful golfing year. I started the season on the Hotelplanner Tour with limited Category 14 – not entirely sure which tournaments I would eventually get to play. Still, my goals for the year were clear: win an event and qualify for the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca. After a solid season, I finished 54th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, securing full status on the Hotelplanner Tour for 2026.

At the start of the year, I had to sit out the first eight events on the Hotelplanner Tour. I used this time to solidify some swing ideas – especially with the driver, which I had worked on intensively during the winter – and spent many hours on the greens. Most of my training took place in Ballito and Fancourt in South Africa. Afterwards, I played two ProGolfTour events in Egypt to stay in rhythm, finishing second and fifteenth.

From May onward, the Hotelplanner Tour in Europe really got underway for me. Over the next 20 weeks, I played 16 tournaments full of ups and downs. My long game was strong during the first five events, resulting in two top-30 finishes and another made cut, but the putter stayed cold. I particularly struggled with short putts and fought involuntary movements coming from my right hand. I invested a lot of time into putting practice and neglected my long game a bit, which led to a “testing period” where I experimented with different grips and setups. Eventually, I settled on the claw grip – and suddenly everything came together.

The stretch from late July to October defined my season. I felt comfortable and knew I could compete. I made six consecutive cuts, including my best finish as a professional: a runner-up at the Irish Challenge. This confirmed my good form and gave me a huge confidence boost. A few weeks later, another highlight followed with a 24th-place finish at the Omega European Masters – a welcome result in front of a home crowd. With that, I had collected enough points to qualify for the postseason, which began with two tournaments in China. It was my first time there – an experience full of culture, heat, and exotic food. I also played solid golf, finishing 20th and 26th. I gave it everything but ultimately had to settle for 54th place in the final season rankings. My last chance to graduate was the DP World Tour Qualifying School, where I played a strong second stage but couldn’t capitalize in the final stage.

So, while I didn’t fully reach all my season goals, I made a huge step in the right direction. I feel confident and look forward to applying everything I’ve learned this year to the 2026 season. Until then, it’s time to train hard and enjoy the Christmas season. I wish you a wonderful end to the year and thank you sincerely for your valuable support.