Marco Penge, this season’s breakout star on the DP World Tour, is the newly crowned champion of the Open de España presented by Madrid. Such has been his dominance this year that he is now in a head-to-head battle with Rory McIlroy to be the champion of the 2025 Race to Dubai. His length off the tee is well known, but there is more to the English bomber than just a powerful swing.
- An Englishman with Italian blood
Penge was born in Horsham in 1998, but he has Italian in his blood. His father, Angelo, is an aeronautical engineer and an Italian native. The two enjoy something of a sporting rivalry; when England play Italy, each will support their country of birth. At home during the World Cup, dinner time can get a little heated… - Goal scorer before golfer and a diehard Gunner
Before dreaming of the majors, Marco was dreaming of goals. He was a promising striker for Chesworth Rovers, from where his goal-scoring instinct earned him trials at Reading and Southampton. Eventually, though, he swapped the beautiful game for golf, but he’s never stopped loving football. Penge is a big Arsenal fan, which is coincidental because he is one of the biggest gunners on tour in 2025. - A ticket to the PGA Tour… and to the US Masters
With his third win of the year he is now guaranteed one of the ten cards for the US tour in 2026 and it would be no surprise to see him triumph on the other side of the pond. It is also now confirmed that on 9 April 2026 he will be playing at the US Masters for the first time in his career. From Madrid one of golf’s most hallowed grounds. Penge has also earned himself a place in The Open, a tournament where he has never managed to make the cut. However, it is hard to imagine the Englishman won’t break his duck next year at Royal Birkdale. A better response to missing out on the 2025 Ryder Cup is difficult to imagine. At this point, he is odds on to be one of the twelve lucky ones on their way to Adare Manor in 2027. - A tricky looking comeback
Just three years ago, his career was hanging on a thread. Arthritis in his knee, caused by a combination of exercise and genetics, forced him to go under the knife. The operation was followed by fifteen months of pain and an uncertain future. It looked like he might have to put the clubs down for good. However, he came back stronger than ever. Penge won the Challenge Tour in 2023 and has now established himself with a 2025 that looks set to mark a turning point in his career. - All in good time
He stood out as a young player, winning the Scottish Stroke Play Championship at just 17 years of age, but his first professional win would not come until the age of 25. Marco is proof that sportsmen need their own time to mature. Now, with three wins under his belt and the kind of maturity that only comes with experience, the Englishman is proving that talent and patience is a potent combination.
There is still one challenge left for Marco… The last player to win four regular DP World Tour events in one season was Alex Noren in 2016. A twist of fate would have it that has now three tournaments left to try and become the first player this decade to match the record of the 2025 Ryder Cup vice-captain.
