The event in Australia – which launches the 2026 schedule although we’re nonetheless in 2025 – begins simply 15 days after Xmas, from King’s Lynn, completed twelfth in qualifying in Spain, with 20 Tour spots up for grabs.
His performances on the Clutch Professional Tour earned him exemption to the second of three levels and he shot rounds of 67, 66, 70, 69 to complete joint fifth at Albacete.
The ultimate stage was performed over six rounds at Tarragona and his hopes suffered a setback when, following a gap 68, he carded a 74 within the second.
Xmas demonstrated his resolve by reeling off 66, 69 and 67 earlier than ending in type along with his finest spherical of the week, a 65.
Among the many gamers to overlook out on full taking part in rights have been former Tour winners Marc Warren, Chris Wooden, Alexander Levy and David Horsey.
“I strive not to have a look at leaderboards and simply play my very own sport and it was ok,” stated Xmas, who solely realized of his success when he attended a post-final spherical interview.
“The primary particular person I rang was one in all my sponsors as a result of I might had a missed name [from him] – I hadn’t even signed my card and he’d already rung me.
“Then I spoke to my father and broke into tears of reduction. We had a very good chat and cried collectively. It was good.”
