Marco Penge has made significant progress in just a few months.
In late December, the DP World Tour declared that the 26-year-old Englishman had broken the tour’s integrity program and was suspended for three months. What’s the violation? Penge had wagered on various golf competitions in 2022. Even though it was established that he did not bet on or against himself—and was unaware that he had done anything wrong—he violated the regulations.
Penge shot 67 on Sunday at the Hainan Classic at Mission Hill Resort on Hainan Island, beating Kristoffer Reitan and Sean Crocker by three strokes.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” He said.
Penge’s 47th start on the DP World Tour propelled him to third position on the tour’s Asian Swing standings, earning him an exemption into the PGA Championship next month at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. He qualified for the British Open just last month after doing well at the South African Open.
“This obviously means the world to me,” said Penge, who won two Challenge Tour titles in 2023. “It’s something that I’ve always dreamt of achieving—winning on the biggest stage.”
“After my time off [gambling suspension] it was the thing that I wanted to really prove to myself and prove to everyone, to show what a player I am.”
Penge opened with 68-71 and was not in contention. However, a third-round 65 that included five birdies, two eagles, and a double bogey propelled him into a tie for the lead with Bowen Xiao. On Sunday, he was one over after the first five holes, but he made three birdies on the next four holes and seven over the next nine to take the lead and hole out down the stretch.
Reitan shot 67, Crocker shot 67, and Xiao tripped for a 73. Keita Nakajima and former LIV golfer, Eugenia Chacarra, finish in the first two spots in the Asian Swing to also earn spots in the PGA Championship.
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