Heisele will be a regular on the European Tour in 2020.
CU Alum Sebastian Heisele Earns European Tour Card
November 14, 2019 | Men's Golf
Gains Full Exempt Status For The First Time
BOULDER — University of Colorado golf alumnus Sebastian Heisele has earned fully exempt status on the European Tour for the 2020 season by virtue of an excellent finish last weekend in Spain.
Heisele, 31, earned the exemption by finishing in a tie for second in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Port d'Alcúdia, Mallorca. In carding a 71-69-67-73—280 scorecard (4-under par) on the Club de Golf Alcanada course, he was two strokes off the lead and also won 37,500 Euros for his effort.
He came back from a severe injury – torn ligaments in his right foot – earlier this season to rally with a strong finish to earn his card.
"We could not be happier for Sebastian," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. Heisele lettered four times under Edwards at Colorado from 2009-11. "He has continued to really develop as a player and keeps getting better and better.
"The way he accomplished this in the face of adversity and a bad injury is just remarkable and testament to his determination and belief in himself. What a remarkable run the last few months. This is now the third time he has played himself to the European Tour, which is a monumental feat and something that he should draw great confidence and belief from. The sky is the limit for what he can accomplish."
Heisele graduated in December 2011 in three-and-a-half years with a degree in architecture. He turned professional at that time after playing 95 rounds in his CU career, finishing with a stroke average of 73.82, which ranks as the 12th-best in school history.
"I'm obviously very happy with what I've done and accomplished," Heisele said. "It was sort of a goal-set at the beginning of the year to return to the European Tour for 2020. I didn't look like it for most of the year, to be very honest, I had a very slow start. I thought my game had improved since the end of 2018, and it was slowly starting to pay off and then the foot injury set me back."
Heisele had twice previously qualified provisionally for the European Tour (for 2016 and 2017), where he always had to wait often until the previous Monday to see if there was a spot for him. Each time, he was unable to keep his card without having to qualify once again. He's hoping the third time will be the proverbial charm.
"Going into next year, my goal is to build on the success I've had recently," he said. "My first couple of years on the European Tour were a little bit rough and I am hopeful I have learned a lot as a golfer. The highlight next year will be a schedule I can plan with and won't have to wait to see what I can play in. I can pretty much plan the whole year and I'm looking overly good for the Olympics as well and that would be the career highlight for me if I was able to do that.
"I'm looking forward to what's coming, just trying to keep the foot on the pedal," Heisele added. "It is incredible what a little self-confidence can do for a golfer in general and coming off that 2018 year was a bit rough. I had all types of ideas about quitting and doing something else, but found someone I could trust. He took me by the hand and showed me what I could do and needed to do. I kept going from one event to the next and after the injury just came back and all of a sudden, things clicked."
Heisele, 31, earned the exemption by finishing in a tie for second in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Port d'Alcúdia, Mallorca. In carding a 71-69-67-73—280 scorecard (4-under par) on the Club de Golf Alcanada course, he was two strokes off the lead and also won 37,500 Euros for his effort.
He came back from a severe injury – torn ligaments in his right foot – earlier this season to rally with a strong finish to earn his card.
"We could not be happier for Sebastian," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. Heisele lettered four times under Edwards at Colorado from 2009-11. "He has continued to really develop as a player and keeps getting better and better.
"The way he accomplished this in the face of adversity and a bad injury is just remarkable and testament to his determination and belief in himself. What a remarkable run the last few months. This is now the third time he has played himself to the European Tour, which is a monumental feat and something that he should draw great confidence and belief from. The sky is the limit for what he can accomplish."
Heisele graduated in December 2011 in three-and-a-half years with a degree in architecture. He turned professional at that time after playing 95 rounds in his CU career, finishing with a stroke average of 73.82, which ranks as the 12th-best in school history.
"I'm obviously very happy with what I've done and accomplished," Heisele said. "It was sort of a goal-set at the beginning of the year to return to the European Tour for 2020. I didn't look like it for most of the year, to be very honest, I had a very slow start. I thought my game had improved since the end of 2018, and it was slowly starting to pay off and then the foot injury set me back."
Heisele had twice previously qualified provisionally for the European Tour (for 2016 and 2017), where he always had to wait often until the previous Monday to see if there was a spot for him. Each time, he was unable to keep his card without having to qualify once again. He's hoping the third time will be the proverbial charm.
"Going into next year, my goal is to build on the success I've had recently," he said. "My first couple of years on the European Tour were a little bit rough and I am hopeful I have learned a lot as a golfer. The highlight next year will be a schedule I can plan with and won't have to wait to see what I can play in. I can pretty much plan the whole year and I'm looking overly good for the Olympics as well and that would be the career highlight for me if I was able to do that.
"I'm looking forward to what's coming, just trying to keep the foot on the pedal," Heisele added. "It is incredible what a little self-confidence can do for a golfer in general and coming off that 2018 year was a bit rough. I had all types of ideas about quitting and doing something else, but found someone I could trust. He took me by the hand and showed me what I could do and needed to do. I kept going from one event to the next and after the injury just came back and all of a sudden, things clicked."
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