Asian Tour members Cameron John [main picture] and John Catlin have overcome one of golf’s ultimate tests by making it through the DP World Tour Qualifying School today.

John, one of the rising stars of Australian golf, shot a final round five-under-par 66 to finish alone in third place on 31-under in the grueling six-round event at Infinitum Golf in Spain, while Catlin was at his brilliant best, storming though with a 63 to tie for 14th.

It was the closest of finishes for the American as the top-15 and ties secured their DP World Tour cards for next season. Spanish star Jose Luis Ballester, winner of last year’s Saudi International, finished in first place, on 32-under, along with his countryman Rocco Repetto Taylor.

It completes a fine season for Cameron John who made a big impression on the Asian Tour this year when finished second in the Singapore Open. He is currently in 11^th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and could potentially be crowned Rookie of the Year. However, Korean Minhyuk Song, in 12^th, may well pip him to the award as he is competing in this week’s Philippine Open presented by Philippine Sports Commission – the Asian Tour’s season-ending event.

John Catlin with the Austrian Open trophy in 2021. Picture by Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Catlin’s performance today will give him another bite of the cherry on the DP World Tour, where he won on three occasions before losing his card in 2023.

He triumphed at the Andalucía Masters and Irish Open within the space of a month in 2020 before winning the Austrian Open the following year. The disappointment of losing his playing status in Europe was offset by claiming the Asian Tour Order of Merit the following season – helped by two victories.

He made eight birdies and no bogeys today to complete a fine run of form recently that saw him win the Link Hong Kong Open and then finish fourth in the Grand Final on the HotelPlanner Tour, where he just fell short of winning a DP World Tour card through that route.

Several other Asian Tour members were on the fringe of making it through today. Australian Jack Buchanan tied for 19^th, tantalizingly one shot away from the top-15, while Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, was two adrift. Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho and Ian Snyman from South Africa, finished four back. They all earn status on the HotelPlanner Tour – which is a reward for those in the top-40 and ties. Australia’s Kevin Yuan unfortunately finished one outside of the top-40.