Who are the first-time winners on the DP World Tour so far this season?

By Mathieu Wood

The strength in depth of international talent competing on the DP World Tour is reflected by the number of players who have celebrated their maiden titles since the start of the season in November.

Across 22 events, spanning 15 countries, 12 players – representing nine different nationalities – have claimed their first victory so far on the 2025 Race to Dubai.

Here, we take a look back at when and where those first-time winners emerged and, how, in the case of some, it has propelled them to break further new ground.

The tone was set at the very first event of the season as Elvis Smylie won the BMW Australian PGA Championship on home soil at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

In just his 16th appearance on the DP World Tour, and just a month on from his first professional victory on the PGA TOUR of Australasia, Smylie held off the challenge of Major Championship winner Cameron Smith to complete a wire-to-wire success.

"It's a dream come true," said Smylie, who began the final round in all-Australian group alongside Smith and Marc Leishman. "I just said to Matt (Clayton, caddie) that I won't forget this day, you know, playing with Cam and Leish there.

"I looked up to these guys since I was a kid and just being in their presence and to compete against them for the title, I've learnt so much and just so grateful and so honoured right now.”

In the very next week, American Ryggs Johnston made it back-to-back first-time winners as the DP World Tour Qualifying School graduate won the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

In just his second DP World Tour start, the then World Number 954 – named after the Mel Gibson character from the Lethal Weapon movies – belied his limited pre-tournament expectations to claim an impressive three-shot victory.

“I turned up pretty tired from all the travel and Q-School and everything,” he reflected after carding a closing 68 to win at Kingston Heath. “Didn't get a practice round here with the weather. I didn't really have any expectations, which probably helped me in the end.

“It feels great, just knowing that more playing opportunities and getting into bigger events. It hasn't quite sunk in yet but it's an amazing feeling.”

Not only did the former Arizona State golfer claim his first win as a professional, but he also guaranteed qualification for The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July.

Following that, there was a spell of players making their return to the winner’s circle as Johannes Veerman, Shaun Norris and John Parry won events in South Africa and Mauritius over the remainder of the Opening Swing.

Tyrrell Hatton then won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in the first Rolex Series event of the season.

Remaining in the United Arab Emirates, Spaniard Alejandro del Rey enjoyed a week to remember as he went bogey-free over his final 36 holes to win the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Cruising to a four-shot victory, he entered the DP World Tour winner's circle for the first time on his 70th start.

"It's amazing because it's basically what I work for,” said Del Rey, who graduated from the DP World Tour Qualifying School in 2022. "I got to a point last year where I just felt like I wasn't having that much fun on the golf course because for me, playing for 20th, 30th place wasn't that meaningful at that point.

“I just worked really hard since then because I just didn't want to be in that position much longer.”

After Laurie Canter and Haotong Li tasted victory in dramatic fashion, in Bahrain and Qatar respectively, it was the turn of Jacques Kruyswijk as the debut winners continued to come thick and fast.

The South African did not put a foot wrong in the final round at Muthaiga Country Club as he carded four birdies to hold off the challenge of in-form playing partner Parry and complete a bogey-free weekend.

"It's special,” said Kruyswijk. “I'm a little bit lost for words, but this is for my family back home, my friends, my team and this is for South Africa.

"I'm happy that I can keep the trophy on African soil and obviously bring it back to South Africa. It makes me very proud.”

There was then more success for South African golf a week later as Dylan Naidoo won his first DP World Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory at the Investec South African Open Championship.

With the fourth round suspended and then cancelled due to a flooded course at Durban Country Club, Naidoo and Canter – both locked together at the top of the leaderboard on 14 under par after three rounds – the pair returned to play the 18th, which Naidoo birdied to edge out the Englishman.

Having come close to victory earlier in the season in Mauritius, he was understandably thrilled: "This is a special moment for me, it's a special moment for everybody here in Durban - it's overwhelming.

"I said yesterday it felt like I was Tiger Woods (due to the bumper crowds following him). There were so many people. All the energy that I had, I can't thank everyone enough for coming out yesterday and today. I'm speechless."

With his victory, he also claimed one of three spots on offer for The Open, where he is set to make his Major debut.

The end of the International Swing and the start of the Asian Swing brought about more first-time winners as Richard Mansell and then Eugenio Chacarra won over consecutive weeks in Singapore and India.

First, Mansell delivered under pressure to earn a long-awaited title as he made a clutch birdie putt on the final green to seal a one-shot victory at Laguna National Golf Resort Club, after Keita Nakajima had earlier set the clubhouse target with a flawless closing 65.

"What a feeling. Just to get into that position, and I played so well today," the Englishman said. “And it makes those near-misses and when I've got ahead of myself in the past just kind of worth it and it just means that much more.

"In 2022 I had quite a few close calls and didn't get it done. Looking back on it I probably should've kept doing what I was doing, and it probably would've happened a lot sooner.”

While Mansell’s victory came in his 103rd appearance on the DP World Tour, Chacarra claimed his breakthrough title on just his ninth start.

Over the renowned challenging DLF Golf & Country Club, the Spaniard recovered from a tough start to the final round to then enjoy a brilliant birdie burst, before making a number of crucial par saves to keep the chasing pack at bay.

Playing on a tournament invitation, Chacarra said: “I'm very grateful for that opportunity. You guys probably changed my life from today so thanks for that.

“It was a tough day, we knew it was going to be a long day with a lot of pressure and obviously not having the start I really wanted to."

He then finished in a tie for fourth and 11th over the final two events of the Swing in China to earn a place in the field for the US PGA Championship.

A month later, Marco Penge sealed his first DP World Tour win at the Hainan Classic to claim a three-shot victory.

Penge, who secured his playing rights for this season with a nerveless display at the Genesis Championship in October last year, said: "This obviously means the world to me.

"It's something that I've always dreamt of achieving - winning on the biggest stage.

"After my time off (an enforced break during the winter) it was the thing that I wanted to really prove to myself and prove to everyone, to show what a player I am.”

Penge also booked his ticket to the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club after coming third on the Asian Swing standings.

The HotelPlanner Tour has long been a source of immense talent, with Martin Couvra and then Kristoffer Reitan becoming the latest products to land first DP World Tour wins since the start of the European Swing.

Couvra, who won as an amateur on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2023 before graduating a year later, had already made an impressive start to life on the DP World Tour before he won the Turkish Airlines Open.

The Frenchman led at the halfway stage but a third-round 72 left him four shots off the pace going into the final round, but a brilliant closing 64 helped him claim a two-shot victory at Regnum Carya.

“It was amazing to win on my first year on the DP World Tour – it's just a dream,” said Couvra.

Just two weeks later it was the turn of Norwegian Reitain as he carded a stunning course-record 62 to get himself into a play-off and then win the Soudal Open.

After overnight leader Ewen Ferguson and Darius van Driel missed birdie putts on the second trip back up the 18th, Reitan holed from 15 feet to cap a remarkable day in which he started in 23rd place and teed off almost three hours before the final group.

“I don't know what to say, its been a dream of mine since I was a little kid,” said Reitan, who became just the second Norwegian to win on the DP World Tour.

“I keep thinking back to a few years ago when I was considering stopping playing because I didn't find it enjoyable any more, didn't see progress, and to be able to turn it around the way I have been doing the last couple of years has been amazing - to seal it with victory here is ridiculous.”

And then in the final event of the first half of the season, it was the turn of another graduate of the HotelPlanner Tour to taste victory as Nicolai von Dellingshausen won the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand.

In the mix from the start of the week at Gut Altentann, the German carded back-to-back 65s over the weekend – featuring an eagle – on both days as he claimed a two-shot victory over compatriot Marcel Schneider and the in-form Reitan.

After a “nightmare” campaign on the DP World Tour in 2023 when he missed 17 cuts, he regained confidence and form across the Road to Mallorca last year to earn back his card on golf’s Global Tour.

"I can't describe it, honestly,” said the emotional 32-year-old. “I'm a little bit lost for words right now.

"I'm trying really hard not to cry. It's been such a tough journey the last two-and-a-half years with losing the card. It's all got me to this stage right here and now I'm here!”

The trend of first-time winners on the European Swing continued a week later as we celebrated a fourth in as many events at the KLM Open.

Across four days where wind and rain posed a demanding test to the field at The International, Connor Syme stood out above the rest as he held off the challenge of nearest rival Joakim Lagergren for a two-shot victory.

In what was his 182nd appearance, it was a milestone success for Scottish golf as it was the 150th win by players from the country on golf's Global Tour.

"I suppose you don't really know you can actually do it until you have done it," he said.

"I mentioned a few times that I hadn't won, to my caddie Ryan (McGuigan) especially, and he's like 'You have won, you've won plenty of times as an amateur and you've won on the (HotelPlanner) Tour'. So I definitely know I can do it but it's obviously doing it on this stage.

"You can see by some of the talent that's come off the (HotelPlanner) Tour this year, it's amazing, we're all very, very good and obviously I'm delighted to add my name to that, one of now 12 first-time winners - it's absolutely awesome, amazing."

First-time DP World Tour winners on 2025 Race to Dubai

• Elvis Smylie - BMW Australian PGA Championship

• Ryggs Johnston - ISPS HANDA Australian Open

• Alejandro del Rey - Ras Al Khaimah Championship

• Jacques Kruyswijk - Magical Kenya Open presented by absa

• Dylan Naidoo - Investec South African Open Championship

• Richard Mansell - Porsche Singapore Classic

• Eugenio Chacarra - Hero Indian Open

• Marco Penge - Hainan Classic

• Martin Couvra - Turkish Airlines Open

• Kristoffer Reitan - Soudal Open

• Nicolai von Dellingshausen - Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand

• Connor Syme - KLM Open