He once left pro golf to coach. On Sunday, at age 39, he won his first DP World Tour title

At 39 years old, Michael Hollick is no ordinary rookie. In a sport that often celebrates youth, his first season on the DP World Tour serves as a reminder that some tours take a long time to unfold – but that doesn’t make it meaningless.

In 2025, Hollick claimed the last available DP World Tour card by finishing seventh on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. After a career that had a few unexpected changes – obstacles, a short step away from competitive golf, and even endless training – this was an opportunity to turn the page to a new chapter in his career.

When he arrived at the tour, there were no signs of the player trying to catch up. Three top 10s in his first four matches – including a fourth at the Crown Australian Open that earned him a place in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale – proved he belonged. Each week seemed to reinforce the last, and Hollick carried that consistency into the BMW International Open.

Sunday was flawless, but Hollick was never far from the lead. After the 16th hole, he found himself three shots behind fellow South African Hennie du Plessis. Even then, it didn’t change his way of doing things.

“I was really calm all day, I stuck to what I’ve done all week,” Hollick said after the round, “You start making birdies and it’s easy to start thinking too far ahead, and I just picked myself up.”

That patience soon bore fruit. Du Plessis took the lead on 3 17 after missing the green, and Hollick responded with a birdie to cut the deficit to one on the final hole.

Following a 307-yard drive and a nervy approach shot, Hollick stood on a 19-foot eagle putt knowing exactly what it meant.

He rolled it in half.

Remarkably, it was a moment he was already thinking about.

“I just said, ‘If I have a chance to win the tournament on the back nine, that’s what I want,’ and funnily enough, yesterday when I went to bed, I thought if I could get a chance to make an eagle at the end to win it, it would be something,” Hollick said.

Putt finished with a closing 67, a winning total of 18-under, and the first DP World Tour title of his career. It also felt like a natural reward for years of persistence.

“Four years ago I put the clubs in the closet and started training,” he said, “The first year is difficult, it’s unknown.”

The victory also secures a start at the Genesis Scottish Open and the Open Championship, continuing a rookie season that has exceeded all expectations.

For Hollick, this wasn’t just one good week. It was the culmination of years spent rebuilding, believing and working patiently back. And if his first few months on the DP World Tour are any indication, this chapter may just be the beginning.