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

At 39, Michael Hollick is not the typical rookie. In a game that often celebrates youth, his first season on the DP World Tour serves as a reminder that some journeys simply take longer to unfold — but that doesn’t make them any less meaningful.

In 2025, Hollick claimed the final available DP World Tour card by finishing seventh on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. After a career that had had a few unexpected turns — setbacks, a brief step away from competitive golf, and even a stint coaching — this was a chance to turn the page on a new chapter. 

Once he arrived on tour, there was little sign of a player trying to catch up. Three top-10 finishes in his first four starts — including a solo fourth at the Crown Australian Open that earned him a spot at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale — showed he belonged. Each week seemed to reinforce the last, and Hollick carried that consistency into the BMW International Open.

Sunday wasn’t 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, there was no change in his approach.

“I was actually calm the whole day, stuck to the same stuff I’ve done the whole week,” Hollick said after the round, “You start making birdies and it’s easy to start thinking too far ahead, and I kind of brought myself back.”

That patience paid off almost immediately. Du Plessis bogeyed the par-3 17th after missing the green, while Hollick answered with a birdie to cut the deficit to one heading into the final hole.

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

He rolled it in.

Remarkably, it was a moment he had already imagined.

“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 had the chance to make eagle at the last to win it, that would be something,” Hollick said.

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

“Four years ago, I put the clubs in the cupboard and started coaching,” he said, “The first year is tough, it’s all the unknown. You’re playing your heart out to keep your card and give yourself a chance next year — but here we are.”

The victory also secures starts in both the Genesis Scottish Open and the Open Championship, continuing a rookie season that has exceeded expectations at every turn.

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