Ex-LIV star axed from DP World Tour Q-School

The cut has fallen at DP World Tour Q-School and several notables have been sent home.

After 72 holes of the final stage marathon at Infinitum Golf, the top 65 and ties have progressed to the fifth and penultimate day.

One of those is not former LIV Golf star Kalle Samooja.

The 36-year-old played his way onto the Saudi-backed circuit for 2024 at last year’s Promotions Event in Abu Dhabi.

He joined Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC and contested a full schedule, albeit without recording a single top ten finish in 14 events.

It saw the Fin place 49th on the season-long standings and become one of five players to be relegated after finishing in the ‘Drop Zone’.

Samooja tried to play his way back onto the DP World Tour in Spain this week but to no avail. He finished at one-under after four rounds and five shots adrift of the cut line.

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While he is the only ex-LIV man in the lineup, several Tour veterans and winners also fell short.

Among those is 2014 Ryder Cup winner Stephen Gallacher. A week after his 50th birthday, the Scot jetted out to Spain in hopes of winning back his card.

“I’ve been 20 years on the DP World Tour, and I feel as if my game is still pretty good enough to compete out there,” he said beforehand.

His number one goal was to get back on tour before a crack at the senior majors, but Gallacher will have to wait until next year to try again.

The four-time DP World Tour winner carded three sub-par rounds but couldn’t advance.

Oliver Wilson, meanwhile, is another previous winner on the Wentworth-based circuit who couldn’t progress at Q-School.

A fourth round of two-over 75 sent the Englishman down 60 places on the leaderboard and out of contention.

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His compatriot Chris Wood struggled to show his best all week, and also missed the cut after rounds of 72, 68, 71 and 76.

It comes after opening up on struggles with chronic anxiety last month, before setting his sights on becoming a two-time Ryder Cup player.

“I took a whole year off and this year has been about trying to get a card in my hand again,” he said before an Asian Tour start in Thailand.

“It’s hard because I still believe I’ve got a Ryder Cup in me, I truly believe that, and I wouldn’t still be putting myself in positions where I feel anxious and exposed unless I felt like it’s going to be worth it.”

Edoardo Molinari currently leads the way in Spain on 20-undeer-par, two shots clear of Frenchman Clement Sordet.

David Law and Eddie Pepperell are well-placed to regain their tour cards, while tour winners Marc Warren and James Morrison also missed the cut.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.