Neergaard-Petersen is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having tasted victory three times on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2024 on the way to topping the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
But despite enjoying a remarkable 2025 season on the DP World Tour to earn dual membership with the PGA TOUR, he was not able to win.
He entered the final round with a two-shot advantage but saw his lead evaporate in the early stages as he bogeyed the fourth.
Neergaard-Petersen regained the outright lead with a tap-in birdie at the sixth but surrendered two more bogeys on the ninth and tenth to sit two strokes behind Smith at the start of the back nine.
A long-range birdie at the tough 12th led to a two-shot swing as Neergaard-Petersen grabbed a share of the lead once more before birdieing the 13th from close range to hit the front on his own.
After his tee-shot at the 14th landed under the trees on the right side, Neergaard-Petersen did well to save par but was caught at the top as Smith made birdie on the same hole.
With both Neergaard-Petersen and Smith finding birdies at the 17th, there was nothing to separate the pair with one hole remaining.
AUGUSTA BOUND
But Neergaard-Petersen produced a big finish when it mattered to win and earn his spot at next year’s Masters Tournament.
He said: “I’m really at a loss for words.
“It’s been a battle all day. From the outside, sometimes you can look calm but there was a storm inside all day today.
“But I managed to just keep battling and then to get it up and down from there to make that putt on the last – I don’t really know what to say, to be honest.
“It’s one of those things I feel like I’ve done the other couple of days – I’ve been able to finish well.
“So I always had that belief that if I just keep trying to hit my spots, eventually the putts were going to drop and I was going to be able to get some of those shots back.
“Obviously, the birdie on the 12th was huge, getting back into a tie for the lead there.”
Speaking about punching his ticket to Augusta National Golf Club, he added: “It means the world.
“The Masters is the event I’ve grown up watching so many times, just dreaming of playing it.
“Getting to do that is awesome. It’s gone by so fast. I don’t feel like it’s been two and a half years since I’ve been out of college. I haven’t even been a pro for that long.
“To get the win here at my final event of the year was the only thing missing from a perfect year. I’m so happy.”
