Among the latest starters are Denmark’s Rasmus Neergard-Petersen, Korea’s Jungwhan Lee, Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa, English trio Alex Fitzpatrick, Eddie Pepperell and Andrew “Beef” Johnston, Italy’s Renato Paratore, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and China’s Wenyi Ding.
DP World Tour officials released a statement overnight, Australian time, stating that Wiesberger’s application for membership had been approved and the 38-year-old Austrian would compete under Category 11 (top 40 in career earnings) this season.
In naming Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry and Ian Poulter, the European Ryder Cup captain has added a total of 15 past appearances in the biennial contest, even with Lowry, a rookie, in that mix.
It was over fairly early for Bernd Wiesberger, which made for a less than thrilling finish to the European Tour’s Made in HimmerLand tournament but no less satisfying a result for the 35-year-old Austrian.
Happily, this week and next, when the BMW PGA Championship is held at Wentworth, also represents at least a brief return to what used to be normal on the European Tour. Financially anyway.
Bernd Wiesberger’s comeback from wrist surgery had already qualified as a success, but in the wake of his victory in the Italian Open overnight he could add remarkable to its description.