2016 Challenge Tour graduates

This is a list of players who graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2016. The top 16 players on the Challenge Tour rankings in 2016 earned European Tour cards for 2017.

2016 Challenge Tour2017 European Tour
PlayerRoad to OmanrankPointsStartsCutsmadeBestfinishMoney listrankEarnings (€)
EnglandJordan Smith*1209,9853125Win241,290,602
GermanyBernd Ritthammer2189,9532610T11124272,289
GermanyAlexander Knappe*3183,5002711T5140215,147
New ZealandRyan Fox*4160,7682921T4341,080,610
EnglandSam Walker5158,370298T4157158,785
FranceMatthieu Pavon*6150,5043016349866,853
SwedenAlexander Björk*7135,0063023T343947,873
South AfricaDylan Frittelli*8120,8922918Win191,602,951
FranceRomain Langasque*9118,0872711T10151178,683
ScotlandDuncan Stewart*10115,7642812T9131241,658
EnglandMarcus Armitage*11115,7602611T10152168,137
PortugalJosé-Filipe Lima12100,1082310T5138218,629
FranceDamien Perrier*1395,3682712T29174102,350
SpainPep Anglès*1493,28627134139216,288
BelgiumThomas Detry*1592,8522717T286440,214
FranceJoël Stalter*1691,5782611T3132239,430

* European Tour rookie in 2017 T = Tied   The player retained his European Tour card for 2018 (finished inside the top 101 or the top 10 of the Access List).   The player did not retain his European Tour card for 2018, but retained conditional status (finished between 102 and 147, inclusive).   The player did not retain his European Tour card for 2018 (finished outside the top 147).

Ritthammer won three times on the Challenge Tour in 2016. A change before the season to the tour regulations allowed amateurs to earn ranking points, while also dictating that any player within the top 15 who earned points as an amateur would be counted in addition to the usual 15 graduates; therefore, since Langasque had earned 24,200 points as an amateur, the number of graduates was increased to 16. Anglès regained his card for 2018 through Q School.

Winners on the European Tour in 2017

No. Date Player Tournament Winning score Margin of victory Runners-up
1 11 Jun South AfricaDylan FrittelliLyoness Open−12 (70-71-68-67=276) 1 stroke EnglandDavid HorseyFinlandMikko KorhonenSouth AfricaJbe' Kruger
2 30 Jul EnglandJordan SmithPorsche European Open−13 (70-67-67-71=275) Playoff FranceAlexander Lévy

Runners-up on the European Tour in 2017

No.DatePlayerTournamentWinnerWinning scoreRunner-up score
1 30 Apr South AfricaDylan FrittelliLost in playoffVolvo China OpenFranceAlexander Lévy−17 (63-70-71-67=271) −17 (70-63-64-74=271)
2 25 Jun BelgiumThomas DetryBMW International OpenArgentinaAndrés Romero−17 (67-71-68-65=271) −16 (65-71-70-66=272)
3 5 Nov South AfricaDylan Frittelli(2)Turkish Airlines OpenEnglandJustin Rose−18 (69-68-64-65=266) −17 (70-67-66-64=267)
  Rolex Series

See also