The race for DP World Tour cards hits a fever pitch this November as 156 players converge on Spain’s Costa Dorada for a do-or-die battle. Only 15 spots are up for grabs during the Final Stage at INFINITUM, and the stakes could not be higher for anyone chasing a 2027 season. This week brings the most intense pressure in European golf, with young LIV hopefuls and veterans like Pablo Larrazábal fighting for the same limited prize. The drama starts now.
LIV Stars Take the Risky Road Back
The story this year features a bold twist that no one saw coming. Four former LIV Golf stars are stepping onto the Q School stage to prove they belong on the main tour again. Jose Luis Ballester, Luis Masaveu, Sam Horsfield, and Michael La Sasso have all entered the Second Stage, which runs from October 29 to November 1 across different Spanish venues. These players are risking their current status for a shot at redemption.
Ballester and Masaveu are just 23 years old and bring serious amateur pedigree to the table, having won major titles before turning pro. La Sasso, at 22, is the youngest of the group but already has a LIV win under his belt from the Indianapolis event. Horsfield brings the most experience at 30, having won three European Tour titles before his move to the Saudi-backed league. Their presence changes the narrative entirely.
GolfMagic notes these entries are especially compelling due to doubts about LIV’s planned relaunch and the chance that multiple players will return to standard tours next season. The quartet has a combined age of just 98, making them a young, hungry wave trying to crash the party. If they make it through Second Stage, they join the Final Stage where the real money and cards are decided.
The Brutal Math of Qualifying School
The numbers tell a cold, hard story that most golfers hope they never have to face. From November 6 to 11, the field at INFINITUM will play six rounds across 108 holes on two championship courses. A cut after 72 holes will trim the field, leaving only the best to fight over the final 36 holes on the Lakes course. Just 15 players will earn their cards for 2027. The course itself has changed, with the Hills layout getting a multi-million-euro renovation that includes a dramatic island-green-style 18th hole.
Pablo Larrazábal represents the other side of this coin. The Spaniard has been on tour since 2008 with nine wins, but 2026 is the first year he faces losing his card. He sits 335.26 points behind Viktor Hovland, who holds the 100th spot needed to keep his status. Larrazábal needs a tied second or better finish in the remaining events to survive, a massive task given his recent struggles.
Why This Venue Changes Everything
INFINITUM has hosted the Final Stage every year since 2017, except for the pandemic pause, and a three-year deal signed in November 2024 locks it in through 2027. The resort has seen some wild finishes, including Zander Lombard’s 13-shot victory last November that set a new record at 37-under-par. That kind of scoring is possible, but the new Hills course renovation adds a fresh layer of difficulty that no one has tested in tournament conditions yet.
The mix of young LIV talent, seasoned veterans fighting for their careers, and a brand-new course layout creates a pressure cooker that few other events can match. This is not just about golf; it is about survival for some and a second chance for others. The field is set, the courses are ready, and the fight for 15 cards begins in less than two weeks.
