The Challenge Tour today announces its global tournament schedule for their 2023 season.
The season long Road to Mallorca will comprise of 29 tournaments, staged across three continents in 18 different countries in 2023, with a record total prize fund of €8,200,000.
The season will get underway in February with a four week swing in South Africa co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour, before making a return to India for the first time since 2013 with two events in March.
The Challenge Tour returns to the UAE in April for the first time since 2018 after previously hosting events in the Middle East in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Oman. Two back-to-back events are in store including the Abu Dhabi Challenge, as part of the European Tour group’s long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation.
“We have a very happy history there, it’s great news,” Jamie Hodges, Head of Challenge Tour said. “First of all its great for our members to go back to a region that we know well. The golf courses are of excellent standard which is ultimately what the players want. I think what the partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation gives the Emirati players is ultimately opportunity.
“With the two events that take place in the region and through the exchange of invitations those players will also have the opportunity to play in Europe, and give them the opportunity to asses where they are, where their game is at against some of the greatest players in Europe. They now have a clear path to progress from where they are now currently all the way up to the DP World Tour, and the DP World Tour Championship.”
The Challenge Tour will then head to Spain in May for the Challenge de España, which will kick-start a run of 20 tournaments in 22 weeks and see the Road to Mallorca travel through 15 countries in Europe, including Italy for the Italian Challenge at Golf Nazionale, the venue which will then host the first two days of the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup in September.
The 2023 season will conclude with the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A, at Club de Golf Alcanada from November 2-5, as the top 45 players on the Rankings battle it out for one of the life changing 20 DP World Tour cards.
In 2022, 25 former Challenge Tour players won on the DP World Tour - including 2021 graduates Ewen Ferguson and Yannik Paul, while five finished inside the top ten on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. Sean Crocker became the 200th former Challenge Tour player to win on the DP World Tour when he secured a wire-to-wire victory at the Hero Open, while the total number of wins by Challenge Tour alumni is now 544.
Full 2023 Road to Mallorca International Schedule:
February 2-5
Bain's Whiskey Cape Town Open
Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
$350,000
February 9-12
Dimension Data Pro-Am
Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa
ZAR 7,000,000
February 16-19
SDC Open
Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, Limpopo, South Africa
$350,000
February 23-26
Nelson Mandela Bay Championship
Humewood Golf Club, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
$350,000
March 23-26
Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge
Karnataka Golf Association, Bangalore, India
$300,000
March 28–31
The Challenge presented by KGA
Karnataka Golf Association, Bangalore, India
$300,000
April 27-30
Abu Dhabi Challenge
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE
$300,000
May 4-7
UAE Event Confirmed
TBC, UAE
$300,000
May 11-14
Challenge de España
TBC, Spain
€250,000
May 18-21
B-NL Challenge Trophy
TBC, Netherlands
€250,000
May 25-28
Copenhagen Challenge
Royal Golf Club, Copenhagen, Denmark
€250,000
June 1-4
D+D REAL Czech Challenge
Panorama Golf Resort, Kácov, Czech Republic
€250,000
June 8-11
Andalucía Challenge de Cádiz
Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, Cádiz, Spain
€250,000
June 15-18
Kaskáda Golf Challenge
Kaskáda Golf Resort, Brno, Czech Republic
€250,000
June 22-25
Open de Bretagne
Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France
€270,000
June 29 – July 2
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge
Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
€260,000
July 6-9
Italian Challenge Open
Golf Nazionale, Viterbo, Italy
€350,000
July 13-16
Euram Bank Open
GC Adamstal, Ramsau, Austria
€250,000
July 20-23
Big Green Egg German Challenge powered by VCG
Wittelsbacher Golfclub, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
€250,000
July 27-30
Irish Challenge
TBC, Ireland
€250,000
August 3-6
British Challenge
St. Mellion Estate, Cornwall, England
£230,000
August 10-13
Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A
Newmachar Golf Club, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
£230,000
August 17-20
Vierumäki Finnish Challenge
Vierumäki Resort, Vierumäki, Finland
€250,000
August 24-27
Dormy Open
Askersunds Golfklubb, Åmmeberg, Sweden
€250,000
August 31 – September 3
Indoor Golf Group Challenge
Landeryds Golfklubb – Vesterby, Brokind, Sweden
€250,000
September 14-17
Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos
Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort, Vau Óbidos, Portugal
€250,000
September 21-24
Swiss Challenge
Golf Saint Apollinaire, Folgensbourg, France
€250,000
October 5-8
Hopps Open de Provence
Golf International de Pont Royal, Mallemort, France
€260,000
November 2-5
Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A
Club de Golf Alcanada, Mallorca, Spain
€500,000
