A Positive First Step

Former CU golfer Yannik Paul places eighth in his debut as DP World Tour member

By Gary Baines - 11/27/2021

Former University of Colorado golfer Yannik Paul made a seamless transition to the top European-based golf tour — at least if the DP World Tour season opener is any indication.

Earlier this month, Paul earned his card for the former European Tour by finishing second at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final. It was his seventh top-10 of the 2021 Challenge Tour season.

After his promotion, his first start as a member of the DP World Tour resulted in an eighth-place finish Saturday in the season-opening Joburg Open. The tournament in South Africa was shortened to 36 holes due to a combination of weather issues and international travel restrictions placed on the nation after a new Covid-19 variant emerged there.

Paul — a 27-year-old German who recently moved back to Boulder, according to CU men’s golf head coach Roy Edwards — posted rounds of 68-70 for a 4-under-par 138 total that left him eight strokes behind champion Thriston Lawrence. The showing was worth 18,377 euros for Paul, who earned his first official money on the circuit. He made 10 birdies over his two rounds in South Africa, where Paul competed in his first European Tour event since June 2016.

Another player with Colorado ties who also just earned his DP World Tour card, former University of Denver golfer Espen Kofstad, finished 57th in the Joburg Open (70-73–143).

For all the scores from the Joburg Open, CLICK HERE.