The Challenge Tour has signed an agreement with the Arena Group that will see the global events solutions business become an Official Sponsor of two tournaments on the Challenge Tour’s UAE swing – the UAE Challenge and the Abu Dhabi Challenge.
The three-year agreement will run until the 2025 season and will see the Arena Group benefit from on course branding, visibility across Challenge Tour digital channels, and access to the Pro-Am events at both tournaments.
This partnership further cements Arena’s long-standing relationship with golf, where it provides event infrastructure to some of the sport’s biggest tournaments. Earlier this year, Arena Group announced a partnership with multiple DP World Tour winner Ryan Fox, further supporting their committment to giving back to the game.
The Challenge Tour last April returned to the UAE for the first time since 2018 with back-to-back events in Abu Dhabi. Ricardo Gouveia the champion over The National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Maximilian Rottluff the winner at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in two hugely successfull tournaments in what was part of the European Tour group’s long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation.
Speaking about the new partnership Paul Berger, Chief Executive Officer of the Arena Group, said: “Golf has been a cornerstone of Arena’s business for many years, and we’re delighted to further our commitment by becoming a partner of the Challenge Tour.
“The Challenge Tour is highly competitive and gives a platform to the next generation of professional golfers, and Arena is thrilled to support the development of these future stars.
“This partnership follows Arena signing top tournament professional Ryan Fox as its global golf ambassador, and the ongoing sponsorship of professionals Harang Lee and Curtis Knipes.
“At Arena we remain committed to supporting the golf industry, its tournaments and players as the game continues to grow throughout the world.”
Further elevate these two events
Jamie Hodges, Challenge Tour Director, said: “We’re delighted that Arena are choosing to invest in the Challenge Tour, and the new UAE swing in particular, for three seasons. With this partnership, we can further elevate these two events as we continue to grow our schedule and give talented players from around the world a strong and competitive pathway to the DP World Tour.”
Guy Kinnings, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO of the European Tour group, added: “This is a significant addition to the existing relationship we have with Arena, who work closely with us on tournaments across the full European Tour group, as well as the Ryder Cup.”
