(Ep 117) Sam Jones

In this episode sponsored by Golf Tips Checker I was joined by recently new DP World Tour card holder Sam Jones who discussed the crazy journey of a DP World Tour Qualifying School where Sam would qualify through First Stage on the dot in Bristol to finishing T4th at 2nd Stage in Spain to then finishing T6th at Final Stage at Infinitum Golf to secure a full DP World Tour card for 2024 only 2 weeks after turning Professional after the Asian & Pacific Amateur Champs at Royal Melbourne, a remarkable sequence of events. 

Sam is from the small town of Manaia in the province of Taranaki in New Zealand with a loving for Golf only coming at around 12 years old having played some Cricket, Rugby & Tennis growing up. At age 15 Sam would discover a love for hitting golf balls a long way and has been known as a long Hitter for a while. Sam would attend University of West Georgia & would win 3 Collegiate events at UWG & In total between Amateur level and New Zealand events Sam has another 11 wins in total, would represent New Zealand at 2022 & 2023 Eisenhower Trophy at Le Golf National & Abu Dhabi GC both times along with Kazuma Kobori and James Hydes. In 2022 was a massive year in terms of Amateur talent with the likes of Ludvig Åberg, Gordon Sargent, Michael Thorbjornsen, Adrien Dumont Du Chassart, Christo Lamprecht, Keira Nakajima & Filippo Celli all playing at Le Golf National in 2022.

In 2023 Sam would discuss the joys of playing back home in New Zealand on the Asian Tour as well as his first 5 starts on the DP World Tour since winning his tour card when contending at halfway in the Australian Open where was level with eventual winner Joaquin Niemann before a final round 78 took him to T48th & the surreal experience of playing Alfred Dunhill Champs at Leopard Creek where Sam would finish T25th. We cap off talking about a few general questions & the impact that the talented young Kiwi Kazuma Kobori could have in the future. Sam finishes off by telling us what he's wanting from 2024 season.

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