Kristoffer Reitan knew he could challenge on the DP World Tour but even he admits to exceeding his own expectations after a brilliant burst of form.
In the space of his last two starts, the 27-year-old Norwegian has emerged to wider prominence and arrives at this week’s KLM Open as the indisputable in-form player.
After a middling start to his return to golf’s Global Tour, HotelPlanner Tour graduate Reitan’s campaign has ignited to life in spectacular fashion.
He overcame a nine-stroke deficit to claim his maiden DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open last month – carding a closing 62 at Rinkven International GC to force his way into a play-off which he won – and then backed that up by finishing in a tie for second at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand.
In fact, he came close to making it back-to-back wins as he carded a 60 – the low score of the season so far – in the final round at Gut Altentann last week, missing an eagle putt on the final green to become just the second player after Oliver Fisher to shoot a 59 on the DP World Tour.
“Maybe not to this extent and that rapidly, maybe,” Reitan told the DP World Tour when asked whether his recent eye-catching success was something he envisaged being possible.
As he alludes to, things have come very quickly over recent weeks.
Heading into the Hainan Classic in April, he was 103rd on the Race to Dubai Rankings and without a top ten to his name since winning the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A to claim his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title and secure his card on the DP World Tour.
But since finishing in a tie for second in China, he has found his mojo and sits top of the European Swing, sixth on the Race to Dubai and in a rich vein of momentum ahead of the Netherlands’ national Open.
“The last four events I have had three really, really good results,” added Reitan.
“I mean, I knew that I was capable of winning out here. I feel like winning the Grand Final proves that. On the HotelPlanner Tour, you're playing against really good competition.
“So, I definitely had the belief that I could be up there and challenge, but obviously [I’ve achieved] more than I would have expected from the last month.”
Up at a career-high 104th on the Official World Golf Ranking, Reitan can look forward to continuing his progress up the echelons of the game over the coming weeks, with a Rolex Series debut on the horizon next month at the Genesis Scottish Championship – an event co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR.
While this season is not his first experience of life at this level having secured a debut campaign in 2018, after coming through every stage of Qualifying School as an amateur that year, these are undoubtedly exciting times.
Such is his lofty standing on the DP World Tour’s season-long rankings, Reitan can plan for playing at the DP World Tour Play-Offs – namely the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship – in November.
It's a far cry from when, a few years back, he came close to giving up the game and flirted with the idea of launching a YouTube golf channel.
“My goals were less so a case of keeping my card but more so reaching the final [the DP World Tour Championship] or Abu Dhabi, things like that,” he said.
“I felt like it was about time for me to take that step, and especially after the HotelPlanner Tour last year as well.
“The main difference was me averaging maybe one good result a year before and then last year, I did that three times.
"So, I felt like I was more consistent, and that's what I want to see more of, playing better golf and on a more consistent basis.”
With his victory at the Soudal Open, Reitan became just the second Norwegian player to win on the DP World Tour after Viktor Hovland, alongside whom he played in amateur teams such as at the Eisenhower Trophy.
While their careers have taken different courses, Reitan has remained good friends with the Ryder Cup star, who was quick to take to social media to praise his compatriot after his breakthrough DP World Tour win.
And now having taken his game to new heights, the pair will likely be sharing the fairways at upcoming events over the remainder of the season and beyond.
“He's been a small part of the reason that I started playing better as well, just having him make himself available for me to come over to the states, practise with him for a week here and there,” said Reitan.
“I think it would only be natural for us to be playing a practice round together at the BMW PGA or one of those events where he's also going to be playing but we know each other very well. I'm hoping to play more tournaments with him.”
