In most golf tournaments, all eyes are on the top of the leaderboard. But as the golf season draws to a close, there’s often more intrigue below the board as the pros make their final push to climb the season standings.
Such was the case at this week’s Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour. Event – played on South Korea — is the final regular-season event on the DP World Tour calendar and represents the last chance for those on the bubble to break into the top 115 and lock up playing privileges for the following season.
Case in point: Jordan Gumberg. The American – who played his collegiate golf at Arizona – entered the week 127th in the Dubai Race rankings and needed to finish in the top 14 this week to secure playing privileges for next season.
Through 71 holes, Gumberg put himself right on the edge. After rounds of 70, 69 and 71, the 30-year-old once again posted a strong score during the final round. But as he played the final hole, he still needed a spell to hold his card.
He only took that.
Playing his third shot on the par-5 final from 58 yards, Gumberg lofted his tee shot to the top of the hill protecting the green and watched as it rolled down toward the hole. By the time he finished his journey, he was at the bottom of the cup.
“It feels incredible,” Gumberg said. “I can’t even say a word. I’m still emotional and overwhelmed.”
The outgoing Eagle overtook Gumberg on the leaderboard as he eventually finished T7, his best finish of the season. The result was enough to earn him 106 points in the Race to Dubai standings and jump him from 127th to 110th, sealing his card for the 2026 season.
“I’m lost for words,” Gumberg said. “I saw the ball land on the green and run over the hill, you couldn’t see anything, and the crowd went crazy, we went crazy. It was the best shot I’ve ever hit in my career.”
