Staff WriterJamie Rutherford is back in the hunt — determined to turn near-misses into destiny as he tees it up at this week’s Hangzhou Open at the Hangzhou West Lake Golf Club, the penultimate stop on the 2025 Road to Mallorca.
The Englishman, who’s made a habit of flirting with promotion to the DP World Tour, now finds himself 18th in the rankings — right in the thick of it, with only two events left to seal the deal.
Rutherford’s story has been one of heartbreak and grit. He came agonisingly close in 2023, finishing just outside the magic number.
Then, in 2024, a lip-out on the 72nd hole at the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A cost him his card by a single, gut-wrenching shot. Most players would need therapy after that; Rutherford opted for perspective.
“The more experiences you have can only help,” he said.
“Obviously, I’ve been on the wrong end of it a couple of times, but I’ve learnt a lot from those situations. I’ve learnt things to do better. I know if I can piece together a nice week this week and get prepared for Mallorca, it’s in my hands.
“A lot of people would be really happy to be in the position I’m in. I’m in a position where if I play good golf for two events, I am going to have my card. That’s where my focus is.”
For a man who’s had more close calls than a dodgy sat-nav, Jamie Rutherford knows that opportunity still favours the fighter. His recent run on the HotelPlanner Tour has been patchy — starting with a missed cut at the GAC Rosa Challenge Tour in Poland — but he insists the form chart doesn’t tell the full story.
“Obviously I’ve not had the stretch of golf I wanted and last week went about as bad as it possibly could be but game-wise, I feel good,” he said.
“My game is in a much better position than it looks like it is.
“It’s difficult and I’ve been in a good position for most of the season, but I’ve got to try and put a positive spin on it.”
It’s classic Rutherford — unflappable, realistic, and quietly confident. The 33-year-old finished tied for 22nd at the inaugural Hangzhou Open last year, closing with a smooth four-under-par 67. This week, he’s back on familiar turf — and he likes what he sees.
“It’s a good solid track here,” he said.
“You’ve got to do everything well if you’re going to contend here. There’s a decent amount of rough and it’s relatively wide off the tee which is going to mean a lot of drivers for me. I tend to hit the ball nice and straight so if I can that, it should suit me well.”
The Hangzhou Open field reads like a who’s who of the promotion chase: JC Ritchie and Renato Paratore, both three-time winners this season, headline the draw, alongside the top 68 players on the Road to Mallorca and 48 from the China Tour, including Order of Merit leader Yanhan Zhou.
The opening round fires off at 6:30 am local time on Thursday, with Rutherford pegging it alongside China’s Huang Zijie and Tao Deng at 7:40 am.
He’s been here before — close enough to touch the big leagues — but this time, Jamie Rutherford’s not planning on letting go.
