Marco Penge of England secured his first DP World Tour victory Sunday, closing with a 5-under 67 to win the Hainan Classic by three shots at Mission Hills Resort Haikou, finishing at 17-under 271 and earning a spot in the 2025 PGA Championship.
The 26-year-old, who started the final round tied with China’s Bowen Xiao, overcame an early bogey on the third hole with a blistering run of three consecutive birdies from the 12th to the 14th, pulling clear of American Sean Crocker, who briefly led on the back nine.
Penge’s seven birdies and two bogeys in the final round sealed the triumph in his 47th tour start, just two months after returning from a three-month betting ban.
“This means the world to me,” Penge said. “After my time off, I wanted to prove what kind of player I am. Watching videos of my son laughing before the round gave me strength today.”
Penge, fined and suspended in December 2024 for betting on golf events — though not on himself or his tournaments — rebounded with a third-place finish at the South African Open in March. His Hainan victory, worth 382,588.89 euros, marked a career-defining moment, securing his tour card through 2026 and a debut at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, May 15-18, after finishing third in the Asian Swing standings.
Crocker, who shot a 66 with an eagle, eight birdies, and four bogeys, tied for second at 14-under with Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, who also carded a 67. Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen took fourth at 13-under with a 68, while France’s Martin Couvra finished fifth at 12-under with a 70.
Xiao, the co-leader entering Sunday, struggled with a 71, tying for sixth at 11-under alongside England’s Sam Bairstow and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari.
Penge credited his caddie and family, including his wife, for unwavering support.
“My caddie was my rock through everything,” he said. “This win is for them.”
Japan’s Keita Nakajima won the Asian Swing title, followed by Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra and Penge, all earning PGA Championship exemptions.
