Chris Wood continued his remarkable golfing comeback with victory at the Italian Challenge Open, producing a nerveless finish to claim his first HotelPlanner Tour title of the 2026 season.
The former Ryder Cup player birdied the final hole at Golf Nazionale to seal a one shot win at 22 under par, capping a dramatic Sunday in Italy.
Wood entered the week fresh from topping the 2025/26 MENA Golf Tour Rankings, a season that earned him a Category 12 HotelPlanner Tour card and another opportunity to rebuild his career at the next level.
The 38 year old looked in control for much of the final round before Portugal’s Tomás Gouveia launched a stunning back nine charge. Four birdies around the turn followed by four more late in the round suddenly turned the tournament into a shootout.
Wood responded like a player who has seen everything this game can throw at you.
A delicate chip into the 72nd hole left him a birdie chance he converted under pressure to secure victory.
“It feels brilliant,” said Wood. “What a tough day. Me and Barclay Brown have had 36 holes of really strong golf together, we’ve pushed each other along.
“You’re never given tournaments, you have to go out and earn them and I feel like I did that.”
The victory marks another huge milestone in one of golf’s more inspiring comeback stories. After stepping away from the game during a well documented battle with anxiety and burnout, Wood rebuilt his confidence and competitive edge largely through the MENA Golf Tour pathway.
No shortcuts. No big comeback fanfare. Just golf.
“This win is a massive step in the right direction,” Wood added. “Obviously there’s a long season ahead, but this is just my first event of a long season on this tour, and it’s an amazing way to start.”
Gouveia finished solo second after a closing 66, while Barclay Brown took third place on 20 under.
Porter Continues Strong Form
Scotsman Will Porter also impressed in Italy, finishing tied fourth on 18 under alongside Will Enefer, Calum Fyfe and Pedro Figueiredo.
Porter, another regular on the MENA Golf Tour during the 2025/26 season, admitted he arrived with little expectation after only getting into the field at the last minute.
“I didn’t really have too many expectations coming in here because I wasn’t in until very last minute, so it’s nice to play well,” Porter said.
“You’ve got Chris Wood, ex Ryder Cup player, top of the field. Nice to play with these guys and see how they go about it.”
The result continues the growing success story of the MENA Golf Tour pathway, which has previously helped develop players including Robert MacIntyre, Thriston Lawrence and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Wood’s victory moves him up to fifth in the 2026 Road to Mallorca Rankings ahead of next week’s Challenge de Catalunya in Spain.
