Ravenscroft alumnus Ryan Gerard has begun the 2026 PGA Tour season impressively, securing second-place finishes in its first two events. His runner-up performance in December's Mauritius Open elevated his world ranking and guaranteed a spot in the 2026 Masters Tournament. The achievement followed an arduous journey across oceans to the African island nation.
Ryan Gerard, a 2017 graduate of Ravenscroft School and alumnus of the University of North Carolina, is emerging as a notable figure on the PGA Tour. In December 2025, he achieved a runner-up finish at the Mauritius Open, a tournament on a small island east of Africa and Madagascar. This result propelled him from No. 57 to within the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking, securing his invitation to the 2026 Masters at Augusta National in April.
Gerard's trip to Mauritius was demanding. He departed his home in south Florida at 5:30 p.m. on December 13, enduring a journey of more than 24 hours that crossed two oceans and two seas. The itinerary included a stop in Italy en route and an eight-hour layover in Paris on the return, allowing brief visits to the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame Cathedral. The total distance covered exceeded 20,000 miles over nine days.
Building on this momentum, Gerard posted second-place finishes in the opening two stops of the 2026 PGA Tour season. As of January 2026, he holds three consecutive runner-up results and ranks third in the FedEx Cup standings. His rapid rise has drawn coverage from outlets including AP News, Golfweek, and 247 Sports.
"Ryan Gerard has three-straight runner-up finishes, and he is currently in third place in the FedEx Cup standings," noted David Sisk in a January report. Earlier accounts, such as Doug Ferguson's on the travel odyssey and Cameron Jourdan's on the ranking boost, underscore the 10,000-mile effort that punched his ticket to the majors.
