St. Pölten, Austria – Yente Van Doren knows what it feels like to be right at the front. He's familiar with the inevitable nervousness that sets in when titles come within reach. In 2022, the Belgian celebrated his first and so far only victory on the Pro Golf Tour in Egypt. Back then, he triumphed in a thrilling playoff against four competitors.

Three podium finishes have already been achieved in the current season. Last week, he led the field in Haugschlag until the final third of the final round, narrowly missing the victory in the end. At the Raiffeisen Pro Golf Tour St. Pölten 2024, the 27-year-old, who studied in St. Louis, Missouri, put himself in an excellent position with sensational rounds of 63 and 65 strokes. His lead over the Dutchman Mike Toorop was three strokes.

Leaderboard: All results at a glance
Order of Merit of the 2024 Season

That it's not always easy to start a final with a clear lead was evident in the Golfclub St. Pölten, even under excellent conditions, this Thursday. By halfway through the round, his lead had narrowed to just one shot at times. But Van Doren kept his nerve and widened the gap between him and the pursuers again with birdies on holes 12, 15, and 16. In the end, an impressive 65 (-5) and a total score of -17 were enough to secure the €5,000 winner's prize.

"I slept very well and tried not to think too much about it," explained the now two-time tour winner. "The lead was nice, but so much can happen on this course. I've been focusing on staying in the moment and not getting too caught up in results all season. That helped me a lot. The victory feels very good." Above all, he could rely on his putter on the varied holes. "Often you only have a wedge into the green here, and I was able to capitalize on the chances very well, including sinking a few longer putts. I didn't make any consequential mistakes from the tee either. It was an all-around good performance."

Three strokes behind the winner, the in-form Jean Bekirian and James Meyer de Beco share second place. The Frenchman Bekirian recovered impressively from a mixed start in the final. Seven birdies from hole ten led to a 64 (-6) and another top result in what has been an exceptionally good season so far.

Van Doren, who struggled to find his top form on the Challenge Tour last year and lost his tour card again, makes a leap to second in the Order of Merit. Bekirian remains in the lead. Meyer de Beco, Aydan Verdonk and Cédric Gugler complete the top five.

For the aces of the Pro Golf Tour, it's off to a very special venue in just under four weeks. For the 125th club anniversary, the Royal Homburger Golf Club will host the players for the Royal Homburger Open. The New Course of Germany's most traditional golf club will present the pros with somewhat different challenges, with a total length of only 4,392 meters (Par 66), compared to many other venues.