Jaco Ahlers fell agonising short on Sunday of playing his way on to the lucrative LIV Golf circuit for 2024 when he made two bogeys in the final five holes in the LIV Golf Promotions at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ahlers had played his way through the tough stuff, and, after carding three-under-par in the first 18 holes of the challenging 36-hole final day, he had cruised to seven-under with five birdies up to the 12th hole on the second 18. His LIV Golf ticket seemed booked, and he bogeyed the 14th.
He got things back on an equilibrium with a birdie on 15, but a cruel lip-out from short range on the 16th was the hammer blow to his chances. He was unable to recoup that loss on 17 or 18, and, in the end, he missed out on a chance in a play-off to decide which two of three players on seven-under would open the door to the riches of LIV Golf.
Finland’s Kalle Samooja topped the leaderboard on the 36-hole final day at eight-under, and Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma and Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe held off the challenge of Laurie Canter of England for the remaining two spots after they all finished on seven-under.
Ahlers did, however, qualify to in the International Series for 2024, an avenue which could give him access to LIV Golf in the future – if it still exists down the road.
