From HotelPlanner Tour
JC Ritchie returned to the winner’s circle on Sunday with a dominant eight-stroke victory in the German Challenge powered by VcG at Wittelsbacher Golfclub.
The South African, who is now a five-time HotelPlanner Tour winner, signed for a six-under-par round of 66 on the final day, building on a five-shot overnight lead to cruise to an eight-shot win on 24-under-par, with Englishmen Joshua Berry and Tom Lewis sharing second.
Ritchie climbs four places to second on the 2025 Road to Mallorca Rankings with the win and looks certain to return to the DP World Tour after losing his playing privileges in 2023.
The 31-year-old was delighted with how he led from the front on the final day in Bavaria, to earn a first win since 2022 and a first on the HotelPlanner Tour outside of his native South Africa.
“I don’t think I could’ve dreamed of anything better, to win by a few so I could enjoy it down the stretch,” he said.
“The win is super important, not just because of the Road to Mallorca, but for me personally to win outside of the African continent is big.
“Confidence-wise, I think this does a lot for me, and where it puts me in the rankings is big, to put one foot in the door for the DP World Tour next year. It makes finishing out this season a lot more comfortable.”
Ritchie, who moved into the lead for the first time this week after signing for a six-under-par round of 66 on day two, extended that to five with a seven-under 65 on day three.
The five-time HotelPlanner Tour winner extended that to seven early on day four after eagling his opening hole, and despite a bogey on the fourth, he would go on to birdie five of his closing 10 holes to maintain a commanding lead throughout the duration of Sunday.
“On the back nine I freed up a little bit and made a couple of birdies. I had no idea what the scores were, but I asked my caddie on 17 if I needed to worry about anyone and he said just to enjoy it. From then I was cruising.
“It’s been a while since I last won and it’s been a tough stretch. I committed myself to playing in Europe three or four years ago when I had my last win. I committed to figuring out how to play here and how to score.
“It took me four years to get my first win in South Africa when I turned professional, and it’s taken four years to win in Europe. It’s super important.”
Italian Filippo Celli and home favourite Philipp Katich finished in a share of fourth on 15 under par, with Frenchmen Julien Quesne and Clement Charmasson one shot further behind in sixth. Eddie Pepperell from England, Peruvian Julian Perico and Dutchman Vince van Veen finished on 13-under-par in eighth.
Berry rises to the summit of the Road to Mallorca Rankings for the first time with his second-place finish in Germany, 15 points above Ritchie who occupies second. Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner drops two places to third, with Italian Renato Paratore and Scotland’s David Law in fourth and fifth respectively. Celli climbs six places to seventh following his fourth-place finish.
