PGA EuroPro Tour explained

PGA EuroPro Tour
Pixels:150px
Sport:Golf
Founded:2002
Inaugural:2002
Countries:Based in the United Kingdom
Most Champs:Tournament wins:
6: Billy Hemstock
Folded:2022
Website:http://www.europrotour.com/
Ceo:Daniel Godding
Director:Eddie Hearn
Founder:Barry Hearn

The PGA EuroPro Tour was a men's developmental professional golf tour. It was created in 2002 by the merger of two development tours, the EuroPro Tour and the PGA MasterCard Tour,[1] as the Professional Golfers' Association and Barry Hearn's Matchroom Sport joined forces.[2]

The PGA EuroPro Tour provided professional golfers with an entry point to a career in tournament golf. The top five finishers on the Order of Merit won a tour card for the following season on Europe's second-tier golf tour, the Challenge Tour, and a place at the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School. Since July 2015, Official World Golf Ranking points were awarded, with four points given to the winner of a tournament.[3]

The tour was based mainly in the United Kingdom, with a few events in other countries. Most of the players were British, with others coming from the Republic of Ireland, Continental Europe and farther afield. In 2020, the total prize money was due to rise to €1 million.[4] Prize funds were around £50,000 each. The winner's share was £12,500.[5] The Tour Championship has a £127,500 prize fund with £25,000 going to the winner.

In September 2022, the tour announced that it would cease operating at the end of the 2022 season.[6] [7]

Television coverage

The tour was covered on television with a highlights package of each tournament shown on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. The tour had also agreed to various broadcast deals with international partners such as DAZN, Fox Sports Australia and Sky NZ.[8]

Alumni

PGA EuroPro Tour alumni include major champions Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, and European Ryder Cup players Nicolas Colsaerts, Jamie Donaldson, Ross Fisher, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton and Oliver Wilson.[9]

Order of Merit winners

YearWinnerPrize money (£)
60,091
41,322
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[10]
37,455
42,895
37,695
33,920
32,984
27,991
33,495
32,822
37,930
24,700
23,492
26,897
43,689
29,259
54,878
37,047
34,182
32,236

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About the PGA Europro Tour . . 2008-11-20 . dmy-all . https://web.archive.org/web/20080725092547/http://pga.info/EuroproTour/40868021.htm . 2008-07-25 . dead .
  2. News: Brady's confidence high on the Europro Tour . Irish Independent . 24 June 2002 . Golfer 3 . British Newspaper Archive . 7 August 2020 . subscription.
  3. Web site: OWGR Board Announce Inclusion of New Tours . OWGR . 15 July 2015.
  4. Web site: The UK's biggest Tour is back with bigger prize funds - europrotour.
  5. Web site: 2021 PGA EuroPro Tour . PGA EuroPro Tour . 4 May 2023.
  6. Web site: PGA EuroPro Tour Final Season . PGA EuroPro Tour . 28 September 2022 . 28 September 2022.
  7. PGA EuroPro Tour to fold after more than two decades . National Club Golfer . George . Cooper . 28 September 2022 . 28 September 2022.
  8. Web site: PGA EuroPro Tour partners with DAZN to add to huge TV output . 2019-03-27 . PGA EuroPro Tour . 2019-04-10 . dmy-all.
  9. Web site: Hall of Fame . EuroPro Tour . 2019-10-22.
  10. Web site: PGA EuroPro Tour cancels its entire season due to coronavirus . GolfMagic . Andy . Roberts . 17 March 2020 . 7 August 2020.