Shiv’s reclaims European Tour 2014

November 4, 2013. Shiv Kapur carded an incredible win at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club to regain his European Tour card for 2014. He is the first Indian to win at this challenge. His four shot victory,  earned him return to The European Tour on a day of high drama in the race for graduation to the top tier.

Kapur’s glorious victory meant he skyrocketed into the crucial top 15 in the Rankings, from 20th to third, to create history as the first Indian to graduate from the Challenge Tour to The European Tour, while Jamie McLeary secured a rookie season on The Race to Dubai in similarly imperious fashion with a tied runner-up finish

Utilising the kind of nous and experience gained from seven years on The European Tour, he cruised to a bogey-free two under par final round of 70.

[highlight]I have had five or six professional wins but given the circumstances and everything leading up to the week, this one is right up there with the best of them [/highlight]

The only threat to his position at the top of the leader board came fleetingly early in the round as the New Delhi man’s playing partner Wil Besseling, needing a win this week to secure European Tour status, moved to within two shots of the top before falling back.

Kapur was thrilled to have sealed the deal in such composed style. The year has proved fortunate for him having claimed the first and last Challenge Tour titles of the 2013.

“I’m really pleased,” said the 32 year old. “It was a tough week and I had to battle away. I knew today was going to be hard. Wil made a charge with a couple of birdies early on but I just had to stick to my game plan to keep mistakes off my card.

“I have had five or six professional wins but given the circumstances and everything leading up to the week, this one is right up there with the best of them.

“I have spent seven years on The European Tour and I’ve wanted to get back there. It’s a great tour which is going from strength to strength and I cannot wait to get back. I’m really looking forward to the year.”

McLeary provided one of the real stories of the day at the sun-kissed United Arab Emirates venue as the Scot claimed the last of the 15 European Tour cards at the death thanks to a three under par 69.

Nacho Elvira was another of those whose future was in the balance heading into the final day but he roared to a six under par 66 to clinch a top ten finish, enough to move him from 15th in the Rankings to 14th and seal a rookie season on The European Tour.

Andrea Pavan of Italy finished fourth to wrap up as No.1 on the title of Challenge Tour