Aaron Cockerill, a golfer from Stony Mountain, Manitoba, is celebrating his first-ever qualification for the prestigious DP World Tour playoffs. After steadily improving his game over the past few years, Cockerill has now secured a spot among the top 70 players on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings, earning him a berth in the upcoming Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Cockerill’s journey to this milestone has been one of patient, incremental progress. In 2019, he played his first three DP World Tour events and finished the year ranked 261st on the Race to Dubai. Since then, he has steadily climbed the rankings, moving up to 118th in 2020, 152nd in 2021, 107th in 2022, and finally reaching 76th in 2023. This year, he has solidified his position, currently sitting at 47th on the standings.
“My whole career has been like that; I’ve slowly improved,” said Cockerill. “Nothing is really too drastically different; it’s just slowly chipping away.”
Cockerill’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and he now has the opportunity to compete against some of the top players in the world at the DP World Tour playoffs. The first event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, will feature a star-studded field, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Tommy Fleetwood.
“I’m pretty familiar with the area in the courses, so I feel like I’m getting a little bit of an advantage there, but no expectations,” said Cockerill. “Just try to have some fun, play aggressively, and see what happens.”
As Cockerill prepares for his maiden DP World Tour playoff appearance, his steady progress and perseverance serve as an inspiration to aspiring golfers everywhere. With his sights set on the top 50 and a chance to compete at the DP World Tour Championship, the Canadian is poised to make his mark on the European golf scene.