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European Challenge Tour

Challenge Tour: Name change for a golf tour

Challenge Tour becomes HotelPlanner Tour. (Photo: HotelPlanner Tour)
Challenge Tour becomes HotelPlanner Tour. (Photo: HotelPlanner Tour)

The Challenge Tour is entering 2025 with an exciting new addition: HotelPlanner, a leading company in the field of travel technology, is becoming the official title sponsor of the tour. From the coming season, the tour will be called the ‘HotelPlanner Tour’. This partnership marks the first title sponsorship of the Challenge Tour since its official foundation in 1989 and represents a milestone in the history of golf’s second division.

Challenge Tour: New name, new chances?

The collaboration is intended to promote the development of the tour by not only increasing the prize money, but also enhancing the quality of the events along the ‘Road to Mallorca’. With a record prize fund of over nine million euros for the 2025 season, the HotelPlanner Tour will offer players new financial incentives. At least €300,000 in prize money has been earmarked for each European event, which means an increase in prize money for a total of 16 tournaments this season. The tour calendar includes 29 events in 18 different countries on three continents. The highlight of the season will be the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca, supported by The R&A. However, the partnership between HotelPlanner and the Challenge Tour goes beyond title sponsorship. The company will invest in six events in 2025 and support a total of 40 tournaments during the multi-year collaboration. The exact duration of the partnership has not yet been announced.

‘We are delighted to become the title partner of the Challenge Tour. The Challenge Tour has been the foundation of so many great golfing names and we are excited to see the HotelPlanner Tour continue to open doors for the next generation of superstars.’ explains HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel.

HotelPlanner’s strategic partnership with the Challenge Tour comes at a time when the golf market is becoming increasingly globalised and connected. HotelPlanner uses a combination of artificial intelligence and a global customer service network to help travellers worldwide. This technology will also help to drive the Tour’s growth by providing a strong platform for international travel and events, the Tour has revealed.

Name changes in golf

In recent years, name changes for golf tours have become a strategic means of promoting the economic and organisational development of tournaments. One example of this is the renaming of the European Tour to the DP World Tour in 2022, after the global logistics company DP World was acquired as the main sponsor. Another renaming was that of the Korn Ferry Tour, which was known as the Web.com Tour until 2019 after partnering with global recruitment consultancy Korn Ferry.

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Fun Panorama

Watch: DP World Tour Stars receive influencer training

(Screenshot: Youtube.com/@dpworldtour)
(Screenshot: Youtube.com/@dpworldtour)

Chapeau to the DP World Tour social media team. It couldn’t be more imaginative and funny. Whether it was the staged round table to find a Ryder Cup team captain or the self-help course in anger management for Tyrrell Hatton – it was all world class, including the cinematic realisation. The creative team’s latest coup is an influencer training course for tour professionals aka: How do I put myself in the limelight in the best and most effective way, how do I generate maximum attention. It goes without saying that there is a pinch of self-irony and a wink. But enough words, the result speaks for itself:

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PGA Tour

Jon Rahm and the Status of his Ryder Cup Relationship: It’s Getting Complicated

Photo: Getty
Photo: Getty

What’s the difference between Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton? No, it’s not the fact that one looks like a Basque bear, while the other – albeit English – looks like an Irish leprechaun in a tall hat under his baseball cap and all too often behaves like one. Like on Saturday at the Dubai Desert Classic, when Hatton smashed a tee marker in anger.

Rather, what is meant is the loudly proclaimed claim of both to be called up for Bethpage Black, for the European Ryder Cup team’s away match on Long Island in September.

Hatton Strengthens Ryder Cup Bid, While Rahm Faces Struggles

While Hatton underlined his claim again yesterday with victory in Dubai after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, his eighth title in his 200th start on the DP World Tour, Rahm lacks precisely such successes. Instead, the Spanish LIV star made a false start to the 2025 golf year, firing an underground 77 after an opening 69 on Friday and missing the weekend – also because he lost out in the battle with a bush.

Now, of all times, the supposed Ryder Cup top performer has missed his first cut at a Rolex Series event and his third in more than four years. Now, of course, it is premature and completely inappropriate to pass the sporting baton on the 30-year-old. Team boss Luke Donald will hardly be able to avoid giving Rahm the wild card for his fourth continental competition anyway; after all, he finished second and sixth in his two Spanish home appearances in autumn 2024. Nevertheless, the status of the relationship with regard to the Ryder Cup is likely to remain unchanged: It’s going to be complicated.

Rahm’s Ryder Cup Chances Clouded by Legal Issues

After all, Rahm is virtually operating in a legal vacuum and is speculating that he will ‘survive’ in it until September. That does have a certain flavour. As a reminder, the Spaniard – like Hatton – has lodged an appeal against the multi-million fine imposed by the DP World Tour for the unauthorised switch to the LIV League, is playing under a temporary injunction and is counting on the expected judgement against him not being passed until after the Ryder Cup. The competent appeals court has already legitimised the Tour’s sanctions in other cases, and should a decision be made in Rahm’s case before September, he would have to pay in order to actually be able to play in the USA.

Anyone who doubts that Rahm would also pay without hesitation if, as hoped, the fine is not due until after Bethpage Black. The man to whom the Saudis are paying a guaranteed fee of 450 million dollars for four years and who was already worth over 50 million dollars beforehand has a family of four to feed, so you have to keep your pennies together. Irony off again. Instead, it would be desirable for Rahm to do the same as Hatton – not in terms of tea markers, but to mask the stale odour of his tactics with the fragrance of sporting success. The Englishman also plays with the proviso of a revision. But at least he wins. And gets a lot of encouragement for it:

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Top Tours

Rory McIlroy: Clear Message to Tom McKibbin – “I Wouldn’t Make That Decision”

Rory McIlroy shares his perspective on Tom McKibbin’s potential move to LIV Golf. (Photo: DP World Tour)

Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin – two golfers from the small Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland, whose careers could not be more contrasting. While McIlroy has established himself as one of golf’s all-time greats, McKibbin is still carving his path. Now, at just 22, McKibbin faces a pivotal choice: a possible move to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour.

“He’s Giving Up A Lot To Not Really Benefit That Much”

“I’ve known Tom since he was, I don’t know, 10 or 11 years old. As soon as he got the offer, he rang me,” McIlroy said ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

This call was unsurprising, as McIlroy has long served as a mentor to McKibbin. “We had a really good conversation, and I’ve talked to him multiple times over the course of December to sort of get a feel of what he was thinking and what he was going to do,” he added. McIlroy didn’t hold back: “I told him that if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.”

McIlroy’s advice to his compatriot was unequivocal. For him, the drawbacks of switching outweigh the benefits. He highlighted McKibbin’s promising career trajectory and the potential he sees in him.

“I think working so hard to get your tour card in the States, which he really did to achieve that goal last year, was a big achievement. I think what he’s potentially sacrificing and giving up—with access to majors or a potential Ryder Cup spot, depending on how he would play—wouldn’t be worth it,” McIlroy emphasized.

A Career at a Crossroads

Despite his strong opinions, McIlroy made it clear that he didn’t intend to pressure McKibbin into any decision. “I’m not in his shoes. He’s a grown man at this point and can make his own decisions. All I can do is try to give him my perspective,” McIlroy said. Still, he admitted he’d be personally disappointed if McKibbin joined LIV Golf: “I think we all see the potential that he has, and I definitely think he can be a top-10 player in the world. But obviously his ranking won’t show that for the next couple years if he makes one decision over another.”

McIlroy’s LIV Golf Stance Remains Firm

While McKibbin reflects on his future, McIlroy is focusing on his game. As the defending champion of the Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy is aiming for his third consecutive victory at the event, held at the venue of his first professional win in 2009.

Yet, LIV Golf continues to cast a shadow over the tournament. “What I would say is, there is still a ton of money to be made on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour,” McIlroy remarked. “But at the same time, I feel like he’s giving up a lot to not really benefit that much, you know.”

Whether McKibbin will ultimately choose LIV Golf remains to be seen. But McIlroy leaves no doubt about his own stance: “At the end of the day, he has to make his own decision, and when he does, whatever way that goes, I’m always going to be a fan of his,” McIlroy said. “I’m always going to try to help him in whatever way that I can.”

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Highlights Tours

Bernhard Langer: One last time at The Masters

(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Getty)

Bernhard Langer, a pioneer of golf in Germany, will take part in the Masters Tournament in Augusta for the last time in 2025. After four decades on the famous course and two victories in 1985 and 1993, the 67-year-old will finally bid farewell to the stage that has played a key role in shaping his career.

End of an era: Bernhard Langer plays his last Masters in 2025

‘It’s time to say goodbye,’ says Langer, the 67-year-old from Anhausen. A post shared by the PGA Champions Tour and the PGA Tour confirms Bernhard Langer’s decision to play his last Masters in 2025. This was actually already planned for 2024 before ‘Mr Consistency’ ruptured his Achilles tendon. After decades that have shaped the sport of golf, the German golf legend is bidding farewell to the stage that made him famous. The Masters was always more than just a tournament for him – it was the stage on which he made golfing history in 1985 and 1993.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von PGA TOUR Champions (@pgatourchampions)

Between triumph and tradition

In 1985, Bernhard Langer slipped into the green jacket, the symbol of victory at the Masters, for the first time. His triumph was not only a milestone for him personally, but also for golf in Germany. His performance brought the sport out of its niche and into the limelight. Eight years later, he repeated this success at Augusta National Golf Club and proved that his first victory was no fluke.

The challenge of the new generation

At the age of 67, Langer has now achieved almost everything that is possible in golf. Nevertheless, he himself describes the increasing physical demands of the game as one of the reasons for his retirement. ‘It’s a totally different course for the young players,’ he explained. ‘They are 80 to 100 yards ahead of me at times. They are hitting a wedge and I got a 2-hybrid off a sidehill, downhill lie,’ he reflected with a grin.

Despite these challenges, Langer has managed to remain competitive. On the PGA Champions Tour, he set the all-time record with 47 victories.

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Equipment

Contract extension: Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma

Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma. (Image: Getty)
Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma. (Image: Getty)

COBRA PUMA GolfTM, a leader in golf club and apparel innovation, is pleased to announce the signing of Rickie Fowler to a long-term extension that will keep the California native in the CPG family for years to come. Fowler, who initially signed with PUMA Golf in ’09 and COBRA Golf in ’12, will continue to wear head-to-toe PUMA Golf apparel and carry a full bag of COBRA clubs.

Rickie Fowler: “Cobra Puma is like family”

“The COBRA PUMA Golf brands are like family to me,” said Fowler. “The clubs and apparel are as good as it gets and the fact that they know what I look for in fashion and style gives me extra confidence on and off the course. While their products are incredible, I also truly value all the relationships I’ve built here throughout my career. Extending this partnership was a simple decision and I’m excited to stay part of these amazing brands.”
A six-time winner on the PGA Tour including the ’15 Players Championship, Fowler has been a stalwart in team competitions over the years as a five-time US Ryder Cup team member and three-time member of the US Presidents Cup team. The Oklahoma State alum also boasts top three finishes in all four majors and multiple international wins including the Scottish Open.
In addition to his success on the course, Fowler has also been a style icon since turning professional in ’09. Initially known for wearing his signature Sunday Orange, Fowler continues to lead the way in bringing style and fashion to the golf course, making him an ideal partner for COBRA PUMA Golf.
“We are thrilled to officially extend our relationship with Rickie and look forward to continuing our work with him for many years,” said Dan Ladd, President of COBRA PUMA Golf. “Rickie is a special talent who brings a competitive spirit and style to the game that we absolutely love. We’re very excited to keep him in the fold and watch how his career continues to develop.”

Text: Cobra Puma Golf

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Equipment

Wilson launches new Triad and DUO Soft Golf balls

The new Triad golf ball from Wilson (Photo: Wilson).
The new Triad golf ball from Wilson (Photo: Wilson).

Wilson, has launched two new models with game-changing technology to enhance performance and empower players of all skill levels. Wilson promises the all-new Triad and DUO Soft balls offer industry-leading balance and softness so golfers can find more fairways and sink more putts. 

According to Wilson the new Triad is building on the success of its award-winning release two years ago and is recognised as the world’s most balanced golf ball. With its patented Tri-Balanced Construction, the updated design ensures uniform density across all three layers, delivering a perfect center of gravity for the purest roll, describes Wilson.

What’s behind the new Triad Ball from Wilson?

The advanced design on the latest 80-compression Triad ball features a high moment of inertia designed to maximise ball speeds, while reducing driver spin for enhanced accuracy off the tee. In contrast, a thin, high-friction urethane cover increases club face interaction for best-in-class control and feel on approach shots. These enhancements are due to a reduction in compression and a redesign of the core and mantle composition. The homogeneous density of the golf ball allows for a lower spin rate while maintaining distance performance.

“The soft three-piece urethane ball provides performance benefits to help golfers find more fairways, attack more pins, and sink more putts. The re-designed Tri-Balanced Construction makes it more consistent than its predecessor,” said Frank Simonutti, Global Director of Golf Ball Innovation at Wilson Golf.

“During testing, * the new Triad had the longest driver distance and highest iron spin of competitive three-piece urethane balls. This was matched by having the highest average spin rate on 7-iron, 9-iron and 56˚ wedge shots,” he added. Triadis the only perfectly balanced golf ball on the market with no “heavy” spots, which can have a negative effect on putting and prevent a “true” roll.  

The new Wilson Triad ball will be available this month in white and yellow, priced at an RRP €45/ CHF 45 per dozen.

The softest golf ball – the DUO Soft from Wilson

The DUO Soft golf ball from Wilson (Photo: Wilson).

Accroding to Wilson the new DUO Soft remains the world’s softest golf ball, featuring a two-piece surlyn construction that delivers exceptional distance, straight ball flights, and an ultra-soft feel.

With its carefully calibrated design, the newly engineered high-energy core maximises distance off the tee. The soft core and stiff cover result in a compression of 37 for the softest feel of any golf ball. It also provides distance performance longer than any two-piece premium ball while minimizing spin rate for lower sidespin and straighter flight. 

“The new DUO Soft provides golfers with premium performance at an incredible price,” said Simonutti. “During testing** the innovative high energy core showed that the new DUO Soft carried longer than other competitive two-piece balls, yet continues to provide the softest feel of any golf ball, making it great for players looking for straighter flight and help finding the fairway.

The new DUO Soft will be available this month in five highly visible colours — red, orange, green, yellow, and pink — making it easy to track shots in flight and locate the ball quickly in any type of ground cover. It is priced at an RRP of €30/ CHF 30 per dozen.

(Text: Wilson)

*Based on internal testing against leading competitors conducted by Wilson Golf at Humboldt, TN research test facility. 105 mph Driver testing performed – June 7th, 2024 | 7-iron testing performed facility – April 17th, 2024 | 9-iron testing performed – April 17th, 2024 | 56° Wedge testing performed – April 17th, 2024.

**Based on internal testing against leading competitors conducted by Wilson Golf at Humboldt, TN research test facility. 90 mph Driver testing performed – June 9th, 2024 | 105 mph Driver testing performed – May 20th, 2024 | 7-iron testing performed – June 7th, 2024 | 9-iron testing performed – May 31st, 2024.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Favorit Xander Schauffele WDs from American Express

Xander Schauffele WDs from American Express on PGA Tour. (Photo: Getty)
Xander Schauffele WDs from American Express on PGA Tour. (Photo: Getty)

After Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the American Express on the PGA Tour due to his hand injury, Xander Schauffele, the world No. 2 and two-time major winner, was considered the main favourite for the tournament. But on Monday, the 31-year-old also withdrew from this week’s event, which is regarded as one of the easiest tournaments on the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour: Xander Schauffele withdraws from American Express

The reason for Schauffele’s cancellation is medical reasons, ESPN was told by his manager, but no specific details were given. Schauffele had most recently started his season at The Sentry and suffered a heavy defeat at the TGL premiere with the New York Golf Club.

Following the cancellation of Schauffele and Scheffler, who wants to give his hand more time to heal after an injury at Christmas, Wyndham Clark is the only player from the world’s top 10 who will be competing this week. Like Schauffele, Clark took part in the TGL premiere in Florida and was part of the victorious Bay GC. He starts the tournament in 7th place in the world rankings. Defending champion Nick Dunlap, who won the tournament last year as an amateur, will also be competing. He was the first winning amateur since 1991.

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Uncategorized

World Golf Ranking: Rory McIlroy Steady at Third as Tommy Fleetwood Slips

Rory McIlroy keeps steady at third place as Tommy Fleetwood slips a place int the world golf ranking. (Photo: Getty)

Rory McIlroy maintains his grip on the third position in the OWGR, unchanged from the previous week. The Northern Irishman’s consistent play is reflected in his stable average points score, a testament to his continued dominance in the upper echelons of the sport. Meanwhile, Tommy Fleetwood, who started the week ranked 9th, has dropped to 10th.

See the complete Official World Golf Ranking here

MacIntyre and Hatton Hold Key Positions in the Top 20

Robert MacIntyre retains his 14th spot in the rankings, mirroring his position from the previous week. Tyrrell Hatton, however, has experienced a slight dip, sliding from 16th to 17th. Similar to Fleetwood, Hatton’s average points remain unchanged, emphasizing the marginal differences that separate players at this elite level.

Elsewhere, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick has seen a more notable decline, falling three places to 44th. His drop serves as a reminder of how fiercely contested every position in the rankings can be.

Top 10 Rankings: Scottie Scheffler Reigns Supreme

The pinnacle of the leaderboard remains firmly in Scottie Scheffler’s grasp, as he holds onto the coveted world number one position. The rest of the top ten is marked by stability, with one exception: Bryson DeChambeau’s improvement from 10th to 9th. This shift comes at the expense of Fleetwood, who now occupies the final spot in the top ten.

RankPlayerNationalityChange
3Rory McIlroyNIR0
10Tommy FleetwoodENG-1
14Robert MacIntyreSCO0
17Tyrrell HattonENG-1
22Aaron RaiENG0
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Uncategorized

World Golf Ranking: Bryson DeChambeau Climbs a Place

Bryson DeChambeau advances to 9th of the World Golf Ranking. (Photo: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler continues his dominance in the World Golf Ranking, holding onto the number one spot. His average point score has solidified his position at the top, unchanged from last week. Right on his heels, Xander Schauffele remains steady at second place, matching his previous ranking with a consistent performance average.

See the complete Official World Golf Ranking here

Changes in the World Golf Ranking

Collin Morikawa maintains his fourth place, showing no change from last week, reinforcing his strong standing. Meanwhile, Wyndham Clark holds his ground at seventh, also without a change in his ranking. Bryson DeChambeau climbs one spot to take the ninth position from the previous tenth, an indication of his upward momentum in the ranking.

Current Top 10

At the summit of the Ranking stands Scottie Scheffler, followed by Xander Schauffele. Rory McIlroy maintains third place with no movement. Hideki Matsuyama stays fifth, while Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland retain their respective sixth and eighth placements. Significant movement includes Bryson DeChambeau’s rise to ninth, swapping places with Tommy Fleetwood, who now rounds out the Top-10.

RankPlayer NameRank Last Week
1Scottie Scheffler1
2Xander Schauffele2
4Collin Morikawa4
7Wyndham Clark7
9Bryson DeChambeau10