Tag: DP World Tour

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European Tour

DP World Tour: Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2024 Live Blog

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2024 Live Scores

The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in the season 2024 is being played in Doha, Qatar at the Doha GC. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 8th of February and ends at the Sunday, 11th of February 2024.
The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters is part of the DP World Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $2,500,000.
The course for the tournament at Doha GC plays at Par 72.

As part of the International Swing, the DP World Tour travels to Doha, Qatar. The Qatar Masters has been held here annually at the Doha GC since 1998.

DP World Tour live

Through the Golf Post Live Blog you can follow all results on the DP World Tour live. The DP World Tour is the top golf league alongside the PGA Tour. Originally started on the European continent, it now includes tournaments all over the world. With events in Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East and partnerships with the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour has a truly global reach. The official name of the organization is PGA European Tour and the DP World Tour is headquartered at the Wentworth Club in Virgina Water, England.

In the 2024 season, a total of 45 tournaments will be held in over 25 different countries. This versatility and the many different venues are what make the tour so appealing to golfers. The prize money is slightly lower on average than on the neighboring PGA Tour and ranges between 1.2 million dollars and 10 million dollars (DP World Tour Championship).
Since 2009, the official money ranking of the DP World Tour has been the “Race to Dubai”. This includes all relevant tournaments (including the major tournaments) from a season for the ranking. The overall winner of the Race to Dubai receives a five-year playing license on the DP World Tour, the Harry Vardon Trophy and bonus prize money of six million US dollars.

Categories
Equipment Satellite Tours

TaylorMade: Look to the Next Generation with New Team TaylorMade Athletes

The new TaylorMade Golf Team-Members. (Photo: TaylorMade)

TaylorMade Golf Company, an industry leader in product innovation and technology, announced today the signings of some of the youngest and hottest prospects on the Challenge Tour to play TaylorMade equipment from 2024. With an average age of 22 they join an already incredibly talented stable of athletes plying their trade on both the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour as part of Team TaylorMade.

Four new players for Team TaylorMade Golf in the 2024 season

Angel Ayora

Angel, who won the first stage of Qualifying School at Donnington Grove Golf Club at the end of September, 2023, joins Team TaylorMade after he secured his Challenge Tour card for 2024. At just 19-years-old from Spain, Angel played both the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and ISPS Handa Australian Open at the beginning of the 2023/2024 DP World Tour season, making the cut on both occasions, finishing 33rd and tied-21st, respectively.

Angel Ayora sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Angel Ayora sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Angel is one the quicker players so getting him dialled in was very important. Tour Representative Sam Day started with a heavier driver shaft which offered him more control with little to no trade-off in club speed. Because of the better strikes and more connected feel with the driver, he was able to gain ball speed and play something that is designed to be more stable. His miss is to the right, so going down in head loft and using the FCT sleeve to change loft and face angle helped fix this problem (9.0 head set two clicks higher playing at 10.5 – the more loft added to a driver will close the face angle and therefore less likely to miss right).
During golf ball testing, the soon-to-be-released 2024 TP5x was testing 3mph quicker with the driver, and when it came to irons, Sam actually moved his iron lofts a full 1 degree weaker to help him get better spin rates and land angles into the greens. Angel constantly works with his coach to increase his peak height, and with the new ball and iron lofts he gained 20 feet with his longer irons helping that stopping distance coming into greens.

Angel Ayora Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 16.5 3HL fairway
  • P770 3 iron
  • P7MC 4-9 iron
  • MG4 46.SB, 52.SB, 56.TW and 60.TW wedges
  • TP Reserve B13 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

Martin Couvra

Former French Number One Amateur, Martin Couvra, joins Team TaylorMade after becoming only the seventh player in history to win on the Challenge Tour as an amateur. Following his victory at the Challenge de España in September, 2023, Martin made the decision to turn professional. Martin finished the 2023 season ranked 46th on the Road to Mallorca rankings, solidifying a full Challenge Tour card for 2024 for the 21-year-old.

Martin Couvra sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Martin Couvra sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Martin likes to see a fade with the driver so he likes to see the ball starting left and falling to the right. Tour Representative Mark Thistleton worked with Martin a lot around face angle, and they found that the more Mark opened the face, the more fade Martin produced, reacting to what he saw at address. Couvra settled on a 10.5 head set a little lower playing at 10 degrees with a little open face angle that gives him the look of a fade club at address.
Mark then worked on wedge options to better fill his distances after spotting that Martin previously carried a 52 & 58 degree Hi Toe wedge and left himself a 20-metre gap between PW & 52. Martin ended up in the new MG4 50 & 54 wedges to have his approach play dialled in ahead of the season. They both spent a lot of the session working with the new TP5 ball, which Martin loved right away. Martin is not one of the longer hitters out there and found speed especially in the top end of the bag with the new ball which he was sold on right away.

Martin Couvra Expected WITB

Mark Power

Two-time Walker Cup star and Wake Forest University graduate, Mark Power (23), has put his trust in TaylorMade equipment as he starts the next phase of his career. Prior to heading to the US College system in 2019, Mark was a three-time winner of the Irish Boys Order of Merit (2016, 2017,2018) and two-time winner of the Irish Open Boys Championship (2016, 2017). Mark graduated in 2023 before making his professional debut on the DP World Tour at the Horizon Irish Open last year, finishing tied-33rd. He also made the cut at the ISPS Handa Australian Open this season on the DP World Tour and will ply his main trade on the Challenge Tour this year.

Mark Power sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Mark Power sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Mark likes to play with a draw, and with the new Qi10 LS driver he was able to match the correct amount of launch and spin to make his go-to shot a lot easier and perform better. His drop-off in spin with his previous gamer was penalising his miss shot and therefore performance off the tee.
Again, during ball testing, Mark gained 2mph ball speed switching into the 2024 TP5x golf ball from the 2021 TP5, and this was a massive step forward for him. Tour Representative Sam Day looked at the wedge and putter performance with the new ball to make sure the feel and sound married up with performance, which it did. The soft feel and low spin numbers he gained at the top end of the bag made this a clear winner.

Mark Power Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 Tour 15.0 fairway
  • P7MC 4-PW
  • MG4 50.SB, 54.SB and 58.LB wedges
  • TP Reserve M47 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

Maximilian Steinlechner

North Carolina State University scholar, Max Steinlechner (24), from Austria, completes the roster for 2024. Max, a former Austrian Number One Amateur, had a stellar amateur career before heading off to play for the Wolfpack. He won the Austrian International Amateur Championship as a 17-year-old with a score of 11-under par, and won the Austrian Boys Strokeplay Championship for three consecutive years between 2015-2017. Max played the majority of his golf on the Challenge Tour in 2023, where he will look to build on a strong foundation moving into 2024.

Max Steinlechner sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Max Steinlechner sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Max is very much a feel player and likes to focus on feel when testing clubs almost as much as performance. He does not change equipment easily or without validation, but he very quickly fell in love with the Qi10 driver. Tour Representative Mark Thistleton tested a couple of new shaft options, settling on the new Graphite Design VF in a 60 TX, tipped 1.25”, which is a little more than standard. Max has lots of speed and an extremely good ball striker, he offers precise feedback and any small changes Mark made to his equipment were seen instantly in the resulting ball flight.
During pre-season was Max’s first testing session with a TaylorMade Golf Ball. This made up a huge part of the testing procedure, testing the range of TaylorMade golf balls, diligently looking at the numbers and giving his precise feedback on sound and feel. Mark and Max soon concluded that the soon-to-be-released 2024 TP5x ball was the perfect fit for his game. It controlled his spin in the long game and offered great feedback and feel through the rest of the bag.

Maximilian Steinlechner Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 Tour 15.0 fairway
  • P7MC 4-6 iron
  • P7MB 7-9 iron
  • MG4 46.SB, 50.SB, 54.SB and 58.SB wedges
  • TP Reserve M47 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

“The golfing world all sees the success stories at the top with the likes of Rory, Tommy and Nelly when they win golf tournaments. But what they don’t see is how much work goes on behind the scenes in Team TaylorMade to find and develop the next generation of top class players. We believe this crop of talented young players from across Europe all have what it takes to compete and succeed on a world stage in the very near future. Each has their own successes as an amateur to be proud of, but more than that, we see a maturity and an attitude in these guys that stands them apart from their peers and because of this they are a great fit for the TaylorMade family. We are excited to continue this journey with them and look forward to seeing the individual success stories from each of them over the coming months and years.”

-Mark Thistleton, Tour Representative, TaylorMade Golf

Text: TaylorMade Golf

Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour: Rory McIlroy wins fourth Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Rory McIlroy wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)

Rory McIlroy won a record-breaking fourth Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour as he successfully defended his title on a dramatic afternoon at Emirates Golf Club.

The Northern Irishman claimed a maiden Rolex Series crown at this event 12 months ago but came into the weekend ten shots back before a stunning third-round 63 put him into the final group on Sunday.

He then turned a two-shot deficit into a four-shot lead with six holes to play before a bogey on the 13th gave the chasing Adrian Meronk and Cameron Young a glimmer of hope.

Full Leaderboard for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Rory McIlroy wins in Dubai “where everything started”

“It’s a great start to the season”, McIlroy said after his win. “I started well last year with the win here. A couple of little things still to work on but these weeks are great. You learn a ton from them and obviously great to get the competition and come out on top as well.”

He went on to reminisce about his history with the event. “Just to think like 18 years ago, and what it meant to come here and play in this event, to be sitting here, you know, having won it four times, and all the great experiences that I’ve had in Dubai and the friends that I’ve met and everything sort of along the way, it’s always been a place where I come back to and reminisce about my career because I really feel like it’s where everything started.”

“So it’s amazing to sit here. The first Desert Classic, I took a media credential and I walked inside the ropes to follow Tiger and Ernie and Thomas Bjorn, and then just to think about even the arc of that: Thomas Bjorn was my Ryder Cup Captain; I ended up buying Ernie Els’s house; I’ve become really good friends with Tiger Woods. It’s just amazing to think back on the last 18 years and sort of where I find myself.”

Meronk and Young came short

Pole Meronk cut the lead to one as he signed for a 71 but McIlroy held his nerve down the stretch and carded a 70 for a 14 under par total and a one-shot win.

American Young finished with a 74 to sit at 12 under, two shots clear of Canadian Aaron Cockerill, Spaniard Pablo Larrazábal and Chilean Joaquin Niemann.

The win takes McIlroy past Ernie Els’ hat-trick of Desert Classic victories and hands him his third Rolex Series triumph, having won three of the last five blue riband events.

He also becomes just the second player to successfully defend this title after Stephen Gallacher lifted the Dallah Trophy in 2013 and 2014 and makes it six wins in Dubai with his two victories at the DP World Tour Championship.

The 34-year-old has started the defence of his Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex crown with a runner-up finish and a win as he looks to become Europe’s Number One for a sixth time, moving to the top of the Rankings for the 2024 title and the International Swing.

Dane Nicolai Højgaard, Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura, China’s Li Haotong and Australian Adam Scott finished five shots off the lead.

(Text: DP World Tour)

Categories
European Tour PGA Tour

New Membership Opportunities outlined for PGA Tour Members on the DP World Tour

Since 2021, the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour have been in a Strategic Alliance. (Photo: Getty)
Since 2021, the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour have been in a Strategic Alliance. (Photo: Getty)

The DP World Tour today announces new membership opportunities for PGA TOUR members in its 2024 season, a further illustration of the strength of the relationship between the two Tours through the existing Strategic Alliance.

DP World Tour 2024: Two new memberships

The opportunities fall into two categories: (i) Full membership of the DP World Tour available for players who finish in positions 126 to 200 on the 2022-2023 FedExCup Fall Points List; or (ii) Affiliate Membership of the DP World Tour available to any other PGA TOUR Member when participating in any Race to Dubai ranking tournament in the 2024 season. Affiliate Members and Non-Members will now automatically appear on a new ‘Non-Member Race to Dubai Points List’ following the first tournament where they earn points.

This list will see players accrue Race to Dubai Points and, based on their points, can see them potentially qualify for (a) the DP World Tour play-offs in 2024 and (b) the season-ending Bonus Pool in 2024 if they have played four or more counting tournaments outside the Majors, in line with the current DP World Tour Member regulations.

Should they choose to additionally take up Affiliate Membership, this will give them the potential to earn full ranked membership of the DP World Tour in the following season if their final ranking qualifies them.

PGA TOUR Members who take up Full Membership (Option (i) above) will play from a newly created Category 12 in the 2024 DP World Tour Exemption Category list. Only five players from this category can play in a DP World Tour event in any given week.

To access this category, eligible players must join the DP World Tour as members by Wednesday, December 20, 2023, to compete in tournaments in the 2024 calendar year, but by Wednesday November 22, 2023, if they want to compete in any of the 2024 season tournaments scheduled for November or December 2023.

Consequence of the Strategic Alliance between DP World Tour and PGA Tour

These initiatives – which were discussed and ratified by the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee – follow on from the one announced last year that will see the leading ten players on the 2023 Race to Dubai (not otherwise exempt) earn PGA TOUR cards for the 2024 season – these cards being ranked after the top 125 finishers on the 2022-2023 FedExCup Fall Points List.

David Howell, Chairman of the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee, said: “When we announced our Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR in November 2021, one of the prime objectives was to give as many opportunities as possible to members of both Tours, and this is another perfect example of how this is working.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Our Ten Cards initiative will give the opportunity for DP World Tour members to excel on the PGA TOUR next season and this new membership opportunity announced today will give PGA TOUR members the chance to do exactly the same on our Tour. I am excited at the possibilities.”

(Text: European Tour Group Communications)

Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour: Prize Money payout at the BMW PGA Championship

Prize money at the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship 2023. (Photo: Getty)
Prize money at the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship 2023. (Photo: Getty)

The BMW PGA Championship, which is not only part of the Rolex Series but is also considered the flagship event of the DP World Tour, will pay out a total of $9 million in prize money. The tournament takes place at Wentworth, the home of the European Tour. 79 players made it into the weekend, and the prize money will be split among those players. The winner will receive 1.5 million dollar.

DP World Tour: Prize money at the BMW PGA Championship

Platz Preisgeld (in Dollar)
1 1530000.00
2 990000.00
3 567000.00
4 450000.00
5 381600.00
6 315000.00
7 270000.00
8 225000.00
9 201600.00
10 180000.00
11 165600.00
12 154800.00
13 144900.00
14 137700.00
15 132300.00
16 126900.00
17 121500.00
18 116100.00
19 111600.00
20 108000.00
21 104400.00
22 101700.00
23 99000.00
24 96300.00
25 93600.00
26 90900.00
27 88200.00
28 85500.00
29 82800.00
30 80100.00
31 77400.00
32 74700.00
33 72000.00
34 69300.00
35 66600.00
36 63900.00
37 62100.00
38 60300.00
39 58500.00
40 56700.00
41 54900.00
42 53100.00
43 51300.00
44 49500.00
45 47700.00
46 45900.00
47 44100.00
48 42300.00
49 40500.00
50 38700.00
51 36900.00
52 35100.00
53 33300.00
54 31500.00
55 30600.00
56 29700.00
57 28800.00
58 27900.00
59 27000.00
60 26100.00
61 25200.00
62 24300.00
63 23400.00
64 22500.00
65 21600.00
66 20700.00
67 19800.00
68 18900.00
69 18000.00
70 17100.00
71 13500.00
72 13496.80
73 13493.61
74 13490.41
75 13487.21
76 13484.02
77 13480.82
78 13477.62
79 13474.43
Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour: Harrington and Lowry delighted to be back on home soil

Padraig Harrinton and Shane Lowry tee up at the DP World Tour's irish Open. (Photo: Getty)
Padraig Harrinton and Shane Lowry tee up at the DP World Tour's irish Open. (Photo: Getty)

Former champions Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry can’t wait to tee it up in front of the home crowds as they return to The K Club for the Horizon Irish Open on the DP World Tour.

Irish Open at the K Club

Harrington ended a more than 30 year wait for an Irish winner when he claimed the coveted title at Adare Manor in 2007, while Lowry made history two years later when he became the first amateur to win the event at County Louth.

Lowry arrives at The K Club buoyed by his recent selection as part of Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team set to compete at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in three weeks’ time, with Harrington also in a rich vein of form after capturing his fifth title on PGA TOUR Champions three months ago.

The pair are part of a world class field teeing it up as the Horizon Irish Open returns to The K Club for the first time since 2016. The tournament will also be played at the County Kildare venue in 2025 and 2027, with 2027 marking the 100th anniversary of the first staging of the event.

Both players are committed to raising money for the tournament’s Official Charity Make-A-Wish Ireland, with each pledging to donate €500 for every birdie and €1,000 for every eagle they card during the week as part of the fundraising efforts.

DP World Tour Player Quotes

Pádraig Harrington: “This is very close to my home. I spent most of my summer practice down here, so very familiar.  This is very close to my home. This is where I do my practice when I’m at home. Love the fact that we’ll have the Irish fans out as I expect – not because of the weather, but because we haven’t had a got in this area for a while. The crowds are going to be big, enormous. The support is going to be brilliant. The weather is going to be great. All we really have to do as the Irish golfers is play a bit of good golf.

“For a tournament, there’s so many exciting shots on the course. You can remember Rory’s second into what we call the 16th of the championship course and the 18th, but the 16th is that one that was an incredible golf shot. There’s so many risk-reward, do-or-die shots out here. It’s a fabulous golf course to come and play, and I’ve got to say, the Smurfits were very good to me, and Michael Fetherston has carried that on. It’s unbelievable how welcome he makes the pros and the young players when they come down here and lets us have the run of the place.”

Shane Lowry: “I think it’s going to be an amazing week. Forecast is very good. Golf course is great.  We’ve got a great field here. It’s very exciting to be here. It’s always one of my favourite events to play, obviously, and with it being so close to home this year, as well, it’s extra special, so it’s nice.

“Obviously there are certain years where you get bad weather where people maybe don’t show up as much as you’d like, even though you get great crowds all the time, but I fully expect the crowds to be huge this week, and I think it’s going to be a great event.

“As I said to somebody earlier, it’s an amazing month to have ahead of you, to be honest. Obviously this week is our fifth major, and it really is – I do treat it like that, and then we have obviously I’m defending at Wentworth, which is one of my favourite events, next week, and then buildup for the Ryder Cup the week after that. Yeah, it’s kind of dream stuff and something that I’m looking forward to the challenge the next few weeks, and very excited for what it could bring.”

(Text by DP World Tour)

Categories
Highlights Tours

DP World Tour Announces Schedule for 2024 with Record Prize Money

The DP World Tour announces its schedule for the 2024 season. (Credit: Getty)

The DP World Tour today announces its schedule for the 2024 season, one which will feature a minimum of 44 tournaments in 24 countries and across five continents, underlining its status as golf’s global Tour.

Showcasing diverse international players, cultures, countries and venues, the 2024 season also features a host of new enhancements across its entire 13 month global odyssey, with members competing for an overall record prize fund of $148.5 million (excluding the Majors). Click here to view the full schedule.

The 2024 Race to Dubai will feature three new and distinct phases – five innovative ‘Global Swings’ from November 2023 to August 2024; an historic ‘Back 9’ from September 2024 to October 2024; and two ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’ in November 2024.

As in previous years, the consistent thread throughout the course of the season will be the five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour. In 2024 these will be: the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January), the Genesis Scottish Open (July), the BMW PGA Championship (September), the Abu Dhabi Championship (November) and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (November) – tournaments which will continue to showcase the Tour’s leading players and innovation.

The schedule also features two new tournaments – the Dubai Invitational (Jan 11-14) and the Bahrain Championship (Feb 1-4), while the Volvo China Open (May 2-5) returns to the schedule for the first time since 2019. There are also date changes for three existing tournaments – the Danish Golf Championship (which moves to Aug 22-25), the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, (Aug 29 – Sept 1), and the Abu Dhabi Championship (Nov 7-10). The Nedbank Golf Challenge Hosted by Gary Player moves into December and will be one of the opening events on the Tour’s 2025 schedule.

Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “Our 2024 season will see our members come together to compete across a global schedule, with greater opportunities and rewards than ever before.

“The many new and original enhancements we have introduced will guarantee drama and excitement for our fans, our broadcasters and all our stakeholders across the entire season and means, more than ever, that every week counts on the DP World Tour.”

The 2024 DP World Tour Schedule – A Breakdown

Phase One – The ‘Global Swing’

This phase will comprise five individual ‘Swings’ – the Opening Swing, the International Swing, the Asian Swing, the European Swing and the Closing Swing – and will run from November 2023 to August 2024. Each Swing will have its own individual Swing Rankings.

The Opening Swing will run from November 2023 (Fortinet Australian PGA Championship) to December 2023 (AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open)
The International Swing will run from January 2024 (Dubai Invitational) to March 2024 (Jonsson Workwear Open)
The Asian Swing will run from March 2024 (Singapore Classic) to May 2024 (Volvo China Open) (*)
The European Swing will run from May 2024 (Soudal Open) to July 2024 (BMW International Open) (*)
The Closing Swing will run from July 2024 (Genesis Scottish Open) to August 2024 (Danish Golf Championship) (*)

(*) While points accrued in the Major Championships will count on the Race to Dubai Rankings, they will not count in the Swing Rankings.

Each Swing will have its own identity and its own Champion who will each earn $200,000 from an overall $1million Bonus Pool. Swing Champions will also qualify for each of the ‘Back 9’ events.

At the conclusion of the Global Swings phase, a further $1million Bonus Pool will then be shared amongst the leading ten players on the Race to Dubai (who have played a minimum of eight ‘regular’ Global Swings events outside the Major Championships and co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open).

The International Swing includes a new Pro-Am event – the Dubai Invitational played at Dubai Creek Resort from January 11-14 – as well as the Bahrain Championship, which marks the Tour’s return to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time since 2011.

The five Swings will also offer qualification into the first three Rolex Series events:
The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from the Opening Swing will qualify for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from each of the International Swing, the Asian Swing and the European Swing will qualify for the Genesis Scottish Open.
The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from the Closing Swing will qualify for the BMW PGA Championship.
The overall top performers from the Global Swings will be rewarded with qualification into Phase Two of the season, with ten spots in each of the ‘Back 9’ events for the highest ranked members (not otherwise exempt) within the top 110 on the current Race to Dubai Rankings.

————–

Phase Two – The ‘Back Nine’

This phase will encompass nine of the DP World Tour’s most historic tournaments and national Opens and will run from August 2024 to October 2024.

It will begin with the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo (August 29 – September 1, 2024) and will end with a tournament to be confirmed from October 24-27, 2024.

In addition to exempt DP World Tour members, the leading 15 non-members from the top 70 on the FedEx Cup will be eligible to play in these events and qualify for the DP World Tour Championship.

The top 110 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings at the conclusion of this phase in October will earn their DP World Tour cards for 2025 while the top 70 qualify for Phase Three, the DP World Tour Play-Offs.

Phase Three – The DP World Tour Play-Offs

This phase, running in November 2024, will comprise the two final Rolex Series events of the season: the Abu Dhabi Championship and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

The Abu Dhabi Championship, which moves from its traditional January slot to a new date of November 7-10, will feature the leading 70 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings while the top 50 at the end of that tournament, qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai from November 14-17, where the DP World Tour’s Number One player will be crowned.

At the conclusion of the DP World Tour’s 2024 season, the leading ten players will share a $6million Bonus Pool.

Finally, as per at the end of the current 2023 season, the top ten DP World Tour members on the final 2024 Race to Dubai Rankings (not otherwise exempt) will earn PGA TOUR cards for the 2025 season.
Press release by the European Tour

Categories
Panorama Uncategorized

Golfers with disabilities set to shine at inaugural G4D Open

Kris Aves, who uses a ParaGolfer, and Ellie Perks. Ready to shine at the inaugural G4D Open. (credit: EDGA)

Kris Aves and Ellie Perks are among leading golfers with disabilities from across the world keen to shine at the inaugural G4D Open next week.

The tournament is staged in partnership with the R&A and the DP World Tour. It is golf’s most inclusive event according to the World Ranking for Golfers with disabilities and has players of all ages, males and females, amateurs and professionals, with handicaps ranging from +4.7 to 35.9.

Aves and Perks have both shown great determination in their lives to thrive in the sport and are relishing the chance to play at Woburn from 10.-12. May.

Kris Aves: “I didn’t think I’d ever play golf again”

Aves from North London is a 41-year-old former Met Police officer who was injured in the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge in March 2017. Struck by the attacker’s car, he received severe spinal injuries that left him paralysed from the waist down.

A keen golfer before the attack, Aves spent a week in induced coma and went on to spend ten months at Stoke Mandeville Hospital after three weeks at King’s College Hospital for surgery. His legs and spine sufferd compound fractures which needed corrective surgery.

“Going through my rehab in hospital, there were three things I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to do properly again,” he says. “One was that I didn’t think I’d ever play golf again.”

Through a mutual contact, he met Cai Menai-Davis of The Shire London who runs a charity called The Golf Trust, which focuses on getting individuals with disabilities and older people out on the golf course. Aves has been able to play with the aid of a ParaGolfer – a special mobility device that lifts people from a sitting to a standing position.

“I got inside and was able to make a swing,” he said. “That first hit brought tears to my eyes. Even though I knew I’d never get back to the standard I had been, I was able to play again.”

Kris realised he needed to get his own ParaGolfer, costing upwards of £20,000.“I was extremely lucky,” he added. “At a pub I drink in called The Railway Tavern in Barnet, the landlord Kieran Guthrie is a big golfer and he put on a golf day for me, they did a raffle, an auction, and they raised £17,000 in one day and I was able to buy a ParaGolfer. It was phenomenal that so many people came out to raise money for me.”

Now Aves is looking forward to appearing in The G4D Open and said, “I was over the moon to get a place. I’m looking forward to meeting people from across Europe and around the world and seeing how well I perform against the seated golfers. But, really, I’m looking forward to simply taking part.”

Perks: “I can’t recommend golf highly enough for anyone”

Perks, from Hagley in the West Midlands, has been playing golf since she was seven-years-old. Now aged 18, she is an accomplished golfer with a handicap of 11 and plays an active role in encouraging other young people with disabilities to start playing.

“I can’t recommend golf highly enough for anyone, whether they have a disability or not,” she said. “To be able to get out, to play, to meet new people. It’s a special sport.”

Perks was introduced to a group called Golf for Disabled Children by the Hagley head pro Gareth Snelgrove, who has been Ellie’s coach since she began playing, and she now does volunteer coaching for the organisation. In addition, Perks has also been working with Dwarf Sports, running a golfing taster session.

“I wanted to be able to get other people with dwarfism involved as there are not many people who have dwarfism and play golf,” she added. “I didn’t think I’d have many people turn up to the session, but in the end, I had about 30. It was quite exciting to see that people were coming to give golf a try, and so I’ve been doing them every month since then.”

Perks, who has also been active in promoting EDGA and participated in a number of events including the Rose Series, has rightly been recognised for her endeavours. In 2019, when she was just 14, she became the first girl to be presented with England Golf’s Hero’s Handshake Award, which celebrates what young people are achieving in golf outside of just competition.

Ahead of The G4D Open, she said, “I’m very much looking forward to it. It is a new championship and hopefully the first of many. I’m excited to get to see old friends and meet new people and to just have fun – that it is the most important thing. Hopefully I will be able to walk away from the championship knowing that I have enjoyed myself no matter what the result is.”

A field of 80 male and female players will assemble to compete over the Duchess Course at Woburn, representing 19 countries. Fourteen of the top-20 players from the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) are in the field, which can be viewed on The R&A website. Spectators are welcome to attend next week’s G4D Open free of charge and enjoy watching the championship.

Categories
European Tour

Hero Dubai Desert Classic: A thrilling contest with Rolex as Official Partner and Timekeeper

(Photo: Rolex)
(Photo: Rolex)

With the much-anticipated return of the 2023 Rolex Series, the attention of the golfing world will turn to the iconic Hero Dubai Desert Classic – the second Rolex Series event of the year. Celebrating its 34th edition, the 2023 tournament promises to be a thrilling contest with Rolex as Official Partner and Timekeeper.

Spanning more than 50 years, Rolex’s support for golf is one of the most enduring and successful partnerships in sport. The Swiss watchmaker’s relationship with the game began in 1967 when Arnold Palmer, joined by close friends and fellow members of The Big Three, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became Rolex’s first golf Testimonees. Since then, Rolex’s association with golf has grown exponentially, permeating all levels of the sport, providing unwavering support for elite and amateur players alike, governing bodies, all the Major championships and the main professional tours, as well as the finest events on the golfing calendar.

Founded in 1989, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic was the first DP World Tour event to be staged in the Arabian Peninsula. Rolex became Official Timekeeper of the DP World Tour in 1997 and the event became part of the prestigious Rolex Series – the tour’s premium event category – in 2022. It is renowned for having one of the strongest and most international fields, proving a tough competition for the world’s leading golfers.

The flagship Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, with its distinct backdrop of shimmering skyscrapers, once again hosts the Hero Dubai Desert Classic from 26-29 January. With the 2023 Ryder Cup on the horizon and qualifying spots to play for, the 2023 tournament presents a timely opportunity for players to find form early in the season.

2023 is set to welcome some of the biggest names in world golf and Rolex Testimonees have a proud history of success in Dubai. Those to have prevailed on the Majlis Course and lift the coveted Dallah Trophy include Fred Couples (1995), José María Olazábal (1998), Thomas Bjørn (2001), Tiger Woods (2006, 2008) and most recently, Rafa Cabrera Bello (2012). Fellow Spaniard and Rolex Testimonee Jon Rahm enjoyed an impressive finish to the 2022 season, which saw him claim a record third DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai at the nearby Jumeirah Golf Estates in November.

Speaking about the Rolex Series, Rahm said: “I have been fortunate enough to win Rolex Series events pretty early on in my career. Given the prize money and strength of field at these events, they always demand an extremely high level of golf and performance. As a Rolex Testimonee, there is also added motivation because you want to make sure a Rolex Testimonee wins. Hopefully, the Rolex Series will continue for a very long time due to its prestige and the fact that it represents such key moments throughout the year for us players to focus on in the calendar.”

2023 also marks the return of the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and the sixth anniversary of the Rolex Series. The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is the second of five Rolex Series events held throughout the year. The Series consists of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (19-22 January), the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open (13-16 July), the BMW PGA Championship (14-17 September), and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (16-19 November).

(Text: Rolex)

Categories
Live

DP World Tour: G4D Tour announces expanded 2023 schedule

Sweden's Rasmus Lia won his first title at the season finale in Dubai. (Photo: Getty)
Sweden's Rasmus Lia won his first title at the season finale in Dubai. (Photo: Getty)

Launched in 2022 with an initial seven-event schedule, the G4D Tour sees the world’s best golfers with a disability compete on the same course, the same week, as professionals on the DP World Tour.

The 2023 season will see additional uplifts to the G4D Tour, including the introduction of a season-long Order of Merit to crown the Number One player.

2023 G4D Tour schedule

Dec 2-4, 2022Australian All Abilities Championship @ ISPS HANDA Australian OpenVictoria Golf Club, Australia
Jan 13-14, 2023G4D Tour @ Hero CupAbu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
Feb 6-7, 2023G4D Tour @ Singapore ClassicLaguna National Golf Resort Club, Singapore
TBCEvent TBCTBC
Jun 5-6, 2023G4D Tour @ Volvo Car Scandinavian MixedUllna Golf & Country Club, Sweden
Jun 26-27, 2023G4D Tour @ Betfred British MastersThe Belfry,
England
Aug 14-16, 2023G4D Tour @ ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV ClinicsGalgorm Castle Golf Club, Northern Ireland
Sep 11-12, 2023G4D Tour @ BMW PGA Championship, a Rolex Series EventWentworth Club,
England
Nov 10-11, 2023G4D Tour @ DP World Tour Championship, a Rolex Series EventJumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai

Each G4D Tour event is open to amateurs and professionals players of all eligible impairments, men and women. For 2023, players will be able to qualify from both their ranking on the gross division of the World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD) and events on the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) Tour, ensuring an international pathway to reach the G4D Tour. The European Tour group pays the expenses of players as they travel around the world, to ensure that the Tour is open to all players regardless of their financial circumstances.

To be eligible, all players must have a World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability and an EDGA Player Pass. Since the G4D Tour launched earlier this year, applications for a World Ranking and Player Pass have reached record levels, with 20% of all passes secured in 2022 alone – showing the impact the G4D Tour is having on raising awareness and increasing participation. The DP World Tour will continue to utilise its social media channels, and relationships with global broadcasters, to showcase the G4D Tour on a range of media platforms throughout the 2023 season.

This year’s inaugural season, which had its finale at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, saw England’s Kipp Popert win four G4D Tour titles and regain his position as World Number One on the WR4GD. The other tournament winners were England’s Mike Browne, Italy’s Tommaso Perrino and Sweden’s Rasmus Lia. Players from ten different nationalities competed, showing the international reach of the Tour.

The Australian All Abilities Championship, starting on Friday December 2, will be the first event of the 2023 G4D Tour season, with World Number One Popert leading the field of 12 competitors teeing it up at Victoria Golf Club. The Australian All Abilities Championship forms part of a festival of golf on Australia’s world-renowned sandbelt, taking place concurrently with the ISPS HANDA Australian men’s and women’s Opens.

“Tremendous success”

The tournament will be played across three rounds at Victoria Golf Club, with World Number Two Brendan Lawlor and Spaniard Juan Postigo Arce, ranked fourth on the WR4GD also competing. World Number 12 Geoff Nicholas leads the home charge, having made history in 2019 as the first amputee golfer to qualify for The Senior Open presented by Rolex at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Speaking about the enhanced 2023 schedule Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “The G4D Tour has been a tremendous success since it launched earlier this year. We have seen unprecedented numbers of golfers with a disability enquire about playing on the Tour and getting a World Ranking, thanks to the ability for these inspirational players to play Tour level courses next to the best players on the DP World Tour.

“We have developed a very close relationship with EDGA and the European Tour group will continue to support the association in its focus on developing capacity within the golf industry, through a variety of education and development activities. I firmly believe that golf has the potential to be the most inclusive sport in the world and the G4D Tour is a major step in realising this ambition.”

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, added: “The G4D Tour is the visible manifestation of EDGA’s development of golf for the disabled – a process that started 22 years ago. Since our first collaboration with the European Tour group and DP World Tour, there has been exponential growth at all levels. The G4D Tour has created greater awareness and resulted in a cascade effect with more tournaments at every level, more national federations building accessible activities, and of course, more grassroots programmes than ever before. The support that the European Tour group and DP World Tour provide to EDGA helps make all of this possible.”

(Text: Press release DP World Tour)