After a successful 2023 on the secondary tour – Challenge Tour – Jesper Svensson got a membership card on DP World Tour, which the European Tour is now called.
There, the 28-year-old from Uppsala quickly became a winner. Already in March, he took home his debut win in Singapore after a playoff and he has been in the top contention in several tournaments since then.
He was also in the tight contention before the final round of the tour final in Dubai, but a heavier Sunday made Svensson fall back to a seventh place. Then he could instead fire off a smile when the season was summed up.
"Unbelievable season"
Svensson finishes tenth on the total standings and secures playing rights on the PGA Tour in the USA next year.
An entirely unbelievable season. It's going to be sick fun to go over and test the PGA Tour, says the 28-year-old to Viaplay.
Even compatriot Sebastian Söderberg had, before the tour final, one of the ten PGA Tour cards at stake, but the 34-year-old finished in 42nd place and saw an adventure in the USA next season disappear. Söderberg missed some tournaments in the summer due to injury.
Svensson was two strokes from the lead before Sunday, but lost contact after a double bogey on nine.
It was tough today. I was a bit more in the rough and the course is very difficult from there, he says after his 73-round, one over par.
The Swede finished seventh on a total of nine strokes under par – six after winner Rory McIlroy. The superstar from Northern Ireland also took home his third straight and sixth total win on the European Tour – two strokes ahead of Dane Rasmus Højgaard.
It means a lot. I've been through a lot this year, professionally and privately. It feels like a fitting end to 2024, says a visibly moved McIlroy in the victory interview.
Equals Ballesteros
Now McIlroy has as many total wins on the European Tour as Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, who passed away in 2011.
Everyone knows what Seve means for European golf and Ryder Cup players. To be mentioned in the same breath as him makes me very proud, says McIlroy with tears in his throat.
Now he has his sights set on the next golf legend – Scot Colin Montgomery, who holds the record with eight total titles.
I'm going for it, says Rory McIlroy.
