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]
 | |
| Formerly | Golfcatcher PGA EuroPro Tour HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour Ivobank PGA EuroPro Tour Matchroom Sport PGA EuroPro Tour |
|---|---|
| Sport | Golf |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Barry Hearn |
| First season | 2002 |
| Ceased | 2022 |
| CEO | Daniel Godding |
| Director | Eddie Hearn |
| Countries | Based in the United Kingdom[a] |
| Most titles | Tournament wins: Billy Hemstock (6) |
| TV partner(s) | Sky Sports DAZN Eleven Sports Fox Australia |
| Official website | http://www.europrotour.com/ |
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] However the season was eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Prize funds were around £50,000 each. The winner's share was £12,500.[6] 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.[7][8]
Television coverage
editThe 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.[9]
Alumni
editPGA 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.[10]
Order of Merit winners
edit| Year | Winner | Prize money (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | James Allan |
60,091 | |
| 2021 | Jamie Rutherford |
41,322 | |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2019 |  Mikael Lundberg |
37,455 | |
| 2018 | Dave Coupland |
42,895 | |
| 2017 | Chris Lloyd |
37,695 | |
| 2016 | Matthew Cort |
33,920 | |
| 2015 | Jordan Smith |
32,984 | |
| 2014 |  Elliot Saltman |
27,991 | |
| 2013 |  Oliver Farr |
33,495 | |
| 2012 | Paul Maddy |
32,822 | |
| 2011 | Chris Hanson |
37,930 | |
| 2010 |  Daniel Gaunt |
24,700 | |
| 2009 | Scott Jamieson |
23,492 | |
| 2008 |  Noel Fox |
26,897 | |
| 2007 | Graeme Clark |
43,689 | |
| 2006 | Kevin Harper |
29,259 | |
| 2005 | Mark Smith |
54,878 | |
| 2004 | Simon Lilly |
37,047 | |
| 2003 | Tom Whitehouse |
34,182 | |
| 2002 | Paul McKechnie |
32,236 | |
Notes
edit- ^ Schedules also included events in Cyprus, Egypt, France, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Portugal and Spain.
References
edit- ^ "About the PGA Europro Tour". The Professional Golfers' Association. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
- ^ "Brady's confidence high on the Europro Tour". Irish Independent. 24 June 2002. p. Golfer 3. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "OWGR Board Announce Inclusion of New Tours". Official World Golf Ranking. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
Each Tour will enter the OWGR system with a minimum level of 4 first place points for 54 hole tournaments and 6 first place points for 72 hole tournaments. Inclusion will commence with the tournaments to be played during OWGR Week 30 – Week ending Sunday 26th July 2015.
- ^ "The UK's biggest Tour is back with bigger prize funds". PGA EuroPro Tour. 2 July 2020. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ Roberts, Andy (17 March 2020). "PGA EuroPro Tour cancels its entire season due to coronavirus". GolfMagic. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ "2021 PGA EuroPro Tour". PGA EuroPro Tour. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "PGA EuroPro Tour Final Season". PGA EuroPro Tour. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Cooper, George (28 September 2022). "PGA EuroPro Tour to fold after more than two decades". National Club Golfer. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "PGA EuroPro Tour partners with DAZN to add to huge TV output". PGA EuroPro Tour. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
- ^ "Hall of Fame". PGA EuroPro Tour. Retrieved 22 October 2019.