Daniel Young has enjoyed a stellar season on the HotelPlanner Tour. A. breakthrough win in Scotland has helped to all but secure promotion to the DP World Tour, but he’s not done yet. Now he’s set his sights on top spot in the rankings. We celebrate the success at the Tour Championship of former HotelPlanner Tour graduate Tommy Fleetwood. Meanwhile, Hugo Townsend pulls off a stunning victory at the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour in Poland.
Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] 12 months ago, the Hotel Planet returned to Poland. A wait of 15 years, finally ending in triumphant fashion. 19-year-old Anel Ayora secured his maiden title. The occasion wasn’t just a celebration of Polish golf. It also marked the coming of age Vankeel Ayora. The then 19-year-old claimed his maiden professional title, romping to a three-stroke victory. Now, just over a year later, we’re back in central Europe with Rosa Golf Club again on hosting duties. This parkland layout was built to exacting USGAA specification with over a million cubic meters of earth shifted during construction. Since opening its doors in 2005, the reputation of Rosa Golf Club has only grown and it’s now widely regarded as one of the finest in the country. A proper test then at a critical time of the season for the class of 2025. With just five events remaining before the finale in Morca, promotion to the DP World Tour looms large. After hitting something of a purple patch over the summer, one man in pole position to secure one of those 20 life-changing cards is Scotland’s Daniel Young. There’s obviously a lot happened probably the last couple months. So that’s that’s where all the the big results have been coming which which obviously have got me in a good position in the the rankings. So um yeah it’s it’s been a really good year been been consistent start and then sort of have had the last couple of months with a bit of fireworks and as you said managed to get the first win which was uh yeah on home soil which was just amazing. So with all the home support watching on, Dan Young taps in for par and after two close calls in France back in June, the Scott is finally a winner on the Hotel Planetour. Massively proud. Obviously to win anywhere out here is a tough task and every Scottish player probably puts a a little bit extra pressure on themselves to win that one. So yeah, to get over the line was was amazing, especially obviously I had a reasonable lead going into the Sunday, which probably makes it a little more stressful than anything else in terms of you look at four shot leads and people just expect you to win, but yeah, it’s that’s never never the case in golf. There’s I don’t think any lead’s safe till you’re you finish 72 holes. Um so it was extra extra pleasing obviously to get that over the line. It was just so cool to have so many friends and family come down and then yeah, it’s nice nice to be able to get home and and celebrate that evening as well rather than obviously being s sitting in the airport like like most other weeks. [Applause] The big difference I think if you probably look at my season from last year into this year it’s last year was very very similar in terms of consistency. I made a lot of cuts. The big difference this year is I got the win, but I also have had two or three other sort of top three, top four finishes, which to obviously get off this tour, that’s what you need where all the points are sort of topheavy. So that was the big big difference for me is the consistencyy’s been there for probably the last couple of years. It’s the biggest thing was then making that jump into the the sort of top 10, top 15, top 20 finishes and just turning those weeks into the big weeks, which is what you need. So that’s been the most pleasing part for me has been being able to do that because obviously that’s not easy to do in itself and and I guess there’s no real formula to say why that’s happened. I think I’ve I’ve had that chat with with people around me and it’s like what’s been the difference and and honestly I don’t think there’s any one thing. And I think one thing that I’ve feel like I’ve just kind of improved year on year and and I’ve just felt like I it’s just that 1% each year and and you keep kind of growing a little bit and and just trying to get that little bit better every week, every year and and yeah, this year it’s it’s hopefully going to take me take me up another level. [Music] Victory aside, there have been plenty of other highlights for Young over the summer. He qualified his way into the open championship at Royal Port Rush. It was a maiden major appearance. He also picked it up in back-to-back events on the DP World Tour at the Nexo Championship and the Danish Golf Championship, bagging a top 30 finish at Trump International in a campaign full of progress. The open was probably the obviously the highlight, but in terms of yeah, that just gave you the little bit extra motivation to go, this is kind of the environment and things like that that you want to be in every week. You want for nothing in an event like that. You’re treated like a king. It’s obviously so cool to play in in a major. And it was just again a lot of a lot of family and friends were there. But just this sort of playing in front of crowds like that, it was it was an amazing experience. And that just gave me a bit bit of extra motivation to go right, let’s let’s really knuckle down and and push on and and try and wrap up the the card for for next year as quickly as possible. And then just obviously adding to the layers of experience that that you want to get for next year playing a couple events like that. And there were two really really good events. Young hasn’t been the only one proudly flying the Scottish flag this season. David Law leads the road to Morca. Ewan Walker is just outside the top 10 with Callum Fe and Ryan Lumston also prominent in the rankings. Last year was a bit disappointing. Mean Yun had a had a chance going into the grand final and didn’t quite get get the job done. Hopefully I think Brian Lumson’s having a pretty good year as well. So he’s he’s got that’s another guy with a chance. So there there could potentially be five of us get off which would just be a mess. I mean but yeah I think Scott it just shows you where Scottish golf is obviously um Davey’s dropped back down but looking like he’s going to obviously jump back straight away and you see the guys in the main tour that they’ve been great for the last chalking up wins for the last three or four years. Callum Grant uh you and Connor now got over the line as well which was amazing. Then obviously Bob’s kind of at that that level above at the moment as well. So, it’s it’s amazing to have so many good Scottish guys out there and it’d be amazing if we can get another maybe three, four, even five, like I said, out there next year. With one hand on a DP World Tour card already, Young has shifted his focus and he’s now targeting top spot in the rankings. Yeah, I think that would just probably be the cherry on top of a of a great year. Obviously, um position I’m in. It’s more of a realistic goal that I can win the rankings. I’m not far behind Dave. It’s very bunched at the top and obviously there’s a lot of good players up and around there. So, um it won’t be easy, but yeah, it’s I’m in a position where it’s possible. So, to win the rankings out here, it’s the standard. There’s so many good golfers nowadays out here. I think you guys see that week in week out from Yeah, from a personal perspective, it would just be very, very satisfying to to win the rankings. Lofty ambitions indeed, but certainly achievable if his current form is anything to go by. But how would Young fare as the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour got underway on Thursday? Young went off the first tea just before 1:00 alongside fellow winners this season, Jonathan Girth Rasmusen and Jamie Rutherford. Scott would have to lean on his short game early on. Having missed the green at his opening hole, he showed a deaf touch to get up and down and avoid dropping a shot. [Music] Young created plenty of opportunities on his outward nine, but his flat stick didn’t play ball. He reeled off eight straight pars, but a three putt bogey on the ninth saw him turn at one over. Patience was required for Young as he failed to cash in on the par 510th hole. He registered two more pars on 11 and 12 before finally earning a reward for his efforts. He almost hold out for eagle on the 13th. [Music] A straightforward tap-in would set up his very first birdie of the day. Another followed at the 14th as he dipped under par for his round. However, he was unable to sustain that momentum. He dropped a shot on 17 while another bogey on 18 saw him sign for a one over par 71 and a share of 94th place. Actually played really nicely to be honest. Um I felt like I played really solid all most of the day. I had two two loose drives but yeah with that I played played really good. Just struggled on the greens. Had two three butts. I’m not not too disappointed cuz I felt like I played good. So I there’s no reason why I can’t go out and shoot a shoot a good one in the morning. John Goff posted the early clubhouse mark with a 64 while Sebastian Garcia had matched him late on in the day. Out in the final group though Toby Hunt had to rely on the light of the electronic scoreboard to make his par putt on the 18th and join Goff and Garcia at the top of the leaderboard. [Music] It was a case of early morning light for Young on Friday. Sitting two shots a drift of the cut line, an improvement was required if he was to have any chance of sticking around for the weekend. Teeing off at 755 on the par 510th, Young set about the task admirably. A fine chip on his opening hole led to a birdie. He returned to level par for the tournament. He had struggled with the putter the day before and it was again a mixed bag in round two. A birdie effort missed on 11 before there was a decent par save here on the 12th. Six more pars followed as Young turned in one under for the day. A double bogey on the first hole, his 10th could have scuppered his round completely, but he bounced back well. He birded the second hole and then followed that with another good chip here on the par five third to set up birding. Following those gains, Young was now one under and back on track. But then disaster struck. Backto back pogers at four and five saw him drift outside the mark again. He was unable to recover in time. And despite an excellent par on the last, Young signed for a second consecutive 71, two overpar and just a second cut missed this entire season on the Hotel Planetour. I mean, I played a lot better than last scores score suggested. So, I think in terms of positive, there’s there’s plenty positives to be honest. Said yesterday had a lot of fiddly numbers yesterday. Found it hard to get it real real close to the pins um on a low scoring week. So, it’s one of those things. It’s golf. It’s it’s not easy. Meanwhile, Hugo Townzen was among those who set what appeared to be the clubhouse target of 800 park, but that was bettered by Roma Watell. His 64 saw him take a one-shot lead into the weekend. [Music] Coming up, we celebrate a past graduate stateside success [Applause] [Music] and we find out who rose to the top at the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour. See you after the break. Welcome back to the Hotel Planet Tour and event number 24 on the schedule, the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour. At the midway mark of the tournament, it was remained Watel with a slender advantage after rounds of 67 and 64. However, with 15 golfers within three shots of his lead, it really was anyone’s for the taking. [Music] The start of the third round was delayed by 2 hours due to a storm in the area, but eventually things got underway. So, a wet start to moving day in Poland, watched by Josh Anne. In the first part of the show, Dan Young mentioned the strength of Scottish golf. Seems every week a Scots in contention. This week, Callum Five’s turn. This one of eight birdies for the day to grab an early share of the lead. Sluggish [Music] start for the day for Hugo Townsen. He was in that log jam in second place at the start of the day. Five pars in a row and the first birdie came on the sixth. Dropped one on eight but then hit this absolute stunner on the ninth. [Music] Not to be outdone, his playing partner Roma Watell was first to make his birdie on nine. Very few highlights though for him though on a tough day for the Frenchman as he’s for a one over 71. So a simple tap in for Towns and for Birdie now nine under and in a five-way tie for the lead. His father Peter played in the RDER Cup in 69 that famous tie at Burkedale when Nicholas conceded the puck to Jaclyn also played in 71 in St. Louis. Starting to find some form. Hugo Towns end this at the par five 10th hole. He was miles away in two. But foul this monster puck for Eagle. Finally someone breaking free from the bunch. Townsen with a two-shot lead. [Music] May birdies at 12 and 13 to extend his advantage. Just six birdies on 16 all day. This the seventh from Towns in now cruising 14 under and five clear. As the sun was setting on day three, Towns head had this for par on the final hole which he convert six under pass 64. Three top 10s to his name this season now on track to claim a first win. Callum 5 carded the low round of the day, a seven under par 63 to grab a share of second place on nine under. Matsolei and Elers joined him on that number, but it was Town’s End on top. Five clear and in fine shape heading into the final round. I’ve been playing solid. I mean, obviously it helps holding a long putt here or there. Uh but I’ve been good off the tea, just keeping in play, hitting on the greens, good lag putting, and then occasionally the long one drops. Tommy Fleetwood is one of the most recognizable faces in world golf. During his 15 years as a professional, he’s crafted an impressive resume with 10 victories to his name, seven of those on the DP World Tour. Tommy Fleetwood, you legend. Despite his success in Europe, he hadn’t managed to bag a title on the other side of the pond. After 164 starts and 30 top five finishes on the PGA Tour, all that finally changed. [Music] Fleetwoods entered the winner circle in Atlanta, winning the Tour Championship along with the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize. It’s been a remarkable journey to the top of the game for Fleetwood and it all started on the Hotel Planetour. He turned pro in 2010 and through the five invites he received that year on the Hotel Planetour, he managed to earn full status for the following season and he made the most of that opportunity winning his first professional title at the Kazakhstan Open in 2011. Fleetwood enjoyed a stellar campaign, topping the rankings and securing his DP World Tour card for the following season. I just always remember there being a great mix because there’s sort of veterans of the game that have say they’ve they’ve struggled for a year or two and trying to make their way back on the tour and then there’s guys that are coming out so fresh, you know, from from amateur level or professional level making their way up from the tour. So, there’s always been such a great mix and a great group of people and I absolutely loved it. I was I always consider myself very lucky that I got to spend a year out here on the tour, you know, making my way in professional golf and I think it taught me a lot of lessons along the way. Those lessons stood Fleetwood in goodstead as his career skyrocketed in the following years. No surprise though, given the caliber of golfer that’s graduating every year from the Hotel Planetour. the strength and depth of the game is getting stronger and stronger all the time and professional golf so so tough and I still I still think you know if if you’re going to if you can make it on here and you can step up you’re fantastic golfer you’ve had you’ve had a fantastic season I love the attitude of the players out here I love the hunger um and I love the competitiveness and it’s such a pure form really of of the game I really I really really do think that and everybody’s so competitive but so supportive of each other at the same time and I think it’s just a really nice environment to buy him. [Applause] Back to the matter at hand then. The final round of the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour. Hugo Tamzen had a commanding fiveshot cushion heading into Sunday. But with some very hungry players still hopeful behind him, would he be able to close out a maiden title on the Hotel Planetour? Josh Antman can tell us. So Towns then out in front, but Tobias Johnson, fellow Suede, was emerging as a serious contender. Two top threes early in the season again in the mix here now tied for second. Stressfree par to start for Town’s end. A solid approach on two and an even better part that to get to 15 under par. Two pars followed for the Sweden. He looked to be in complete control of his game. This delightful approach at the par four fifth hole. Little bit of spin. Set up another birdie. Maybe a six shot lead for Towns End. Wasn’t all plain sailing for Towns End. He made a mess of the six with a double bogey and the ever popular Justin Walters was on an absolute tear out in 30. Birdie 10. That was for a seventh birdie of the day not to be. Towns then dropped another on seven opening the door even more to the chasing pack. Another South African Yvan Rabula also enjoying a good day. Winner of the amateur championship in 2018 join countryman waters on 10 under and just three back. Anton Alers meanwhile was emerging as the leading contender had that fabulous 63 on Friday and a great approach here. He’d make the birdie to get to 11 under par and within two of towns end. Townsen made a mess of his front nine after a great start. Turned in one over and be caught by Johnson. This was a huge bonus though however at the par three 14th hole for birdie regain the lead once again. [Music] Plenty out watching on Sunday and Townsen was steady on the back nine. Two more pars since regaining the lead and another long birdie putt to extend his advantage to two over Anton Alers. Amazing week on the greens from the sweep. Johnson already in the clubhouse on 12 under par. This from Alers to post a new clubhouse mark. A par at the last finishes 13 under par. Brilliant 66 to finish his week. So a two-shot cushion then for Towns End playing the last. This for part and to seal a maiden hotel planetur title for the 26-year-old. [Music] Justin Walters produced the low round of the day. His 63 was two better than anyone else and vaulted him into solo fourth. Tobias Johnson finished one clear of Walters, but it was another Swede who kept coolest to top the leaderboard in Poland. I think it would just free me up more knowing that, you know, I’ve I’ve done it. I’ve won here. I can say that I’ve won and just showing up to every week knowing that I mean I can compete. So, I think just it would free me up. And I mean, obviously it’s golf. Anything can happen, but uh I mean, I’m just happy to win. There’s just one change this week to the top 10 on the road to Mayora, and it’s courtesy of a sweet swinging Swede. Hugo Tanzen vulted 32 places up the rankings and into the top 10. Tobias Johnson also gained significant ground, up seven places to 12th. It’s now New Zealand’s Sam Jones in possession of that allimportant 20th position. And with that Swedish success story, our time in Poland has come to an end. Next for our 2025 contenders, the satnav points towards Portugal. So join us next time when the pursuit of promotion to the DP World Tour continues. [Music]
