Pro saves job with unlikely walk-off hole-out eagle: ‘Unbelievable’

At most golf tournaments, all eyes are on the top of the leaderboard. But as the golf season comes to a close, there’s often more intrigue further down the board as pros make their final push to climb up the season-long points standings.

Such was the case at this week’s Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour. The event — played in South Korea — is the final regular-season event on the DP World Tour calendar and represents the final opportunity for those on the bubble to get inside the top 115 and lock up playing privileges for the following season.

Case in point: Jordan Gumberg. The American — who played his collegiate golf at Arizona — entered the week 127th in the Race to Dubai standings and needed to finish in the top 14 this week to secure playing privileges for next season.

Through 71 holes, Gumberg put himself right on the brink. After rounds of 70, 69 and 71, the 30-year-old once again put together a solid scorecard during the final round. But as he played the final hole, he still needed some magic to keep his card.

He got just that.

Playing his third shot on the par-5 finisher from 58 yards away, Gumberg lofted his pitch shot to the top of the hill protecting the green and watched as it trickled down toward the hole. By the time it finished its journey, it was in the bottom of the cup.

“That feels unbelievable,” Gumberg said. “Can’t even put words to it. I’m still emotional and choked up.”

The walk-off eagle jumped Gumberg up the leaderboard as he eventually finished T7, his best finish of the season. The result was enough to earn 106 points in the Race to Dubai standings and jump him from 127th to 110th, locking up his card for the 2026 season.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Gumberg said. “I saw the ball land on the green and trickle over the hill, you couldn’t see anything, and the crowd went nuts, we went nuts. It was the best shot I’ve hit in my career so far.”

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