Marco Penge’s rapid rise from tour card survival to Race to Dubai contender has been nothing short of remarkable. Just a year ago, the Englishman was outside the top 400 in the world after securing his European tour status with a pressure-packed putt on his final hole.
What a difference 12 months makes.
Penge faced adversity early when the European tour suspended him for two months after he made minor bets on tournaments he wasn’t playing in 2022, before completing the tour’s integrity program. He immediately took responsibility and committed to never repeating the mistake.
He’s more than made up for that setback. Penge claimed his first European tour victory in China, finished runner-up at the Scottish Open, won in Denmark, and grabbed his third title at the Spanish Open. Now he’s just 441 points behind Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai with two events left in the season.
“I still am in disbelief in a way that I am in the position that I am,” Penge said Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. “Not from the point that I don’t think I’m good enough, just from the point of how fast it’s happened.”
His success has brought significant rewards. Penge has already secured a PGA Tour card as one of the top 10 players on the European tour (commercially known as the DP World Tour). With rumors swirling about potential interest from LIV Golf, he and his wife recently traveled to the United States to begin house hunting for next year.
This week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship carries additional significance beyond the Race to Dubai. Currently ranked 29th in the world, Penge has his eye on valuable ranking points that could impact his 2024 schedule. The PGA Tour’s $20 million signature events include eligibility criteria for players ranked in the top 30.
“I’ve looked at the schedule and fully aware that I think that if you’re top 30 in the world before an elevated event, you get into that tournament,” he said. “I’m a numbers guy, so I’ve done a bit of math, worked out where I want to be.”
“But yeah, always trying to be playing in the majors and the elevated events and start my season over there and come back over here to play tournaments like this.”
Penge will get an immediate taste of elite competition, paired with McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton for the opening two rounds in Abu Dhabi. It marks his first time playing alongside McIlroy, who’s pursuing his seventh European No. 1 title and fourth consecutive Race to Dubai crown.
“It’s nothing to be scared of. I just want to enjoy the moment and enjoy the experience, being in this position and playing with the top players of the world,” Penge said.
