Golf - 2010 schedule:The European Tour has confirmed at least 47 events for next season with six new tournaments announced on the schedule. Again, the season will culminate with the Dubai Dubai World Championship where a combined prize fund of over €10 million will once more be up for grabs.
The season-ending event won by Lee Westwood three weeks ago had its prize fund and money list bonus pool cut by 25 per cent this year because of the economic situation faced by the property developer sponsors.
But the Tour today announced that there will again be $15 million (€10.1 million) up for grabs at the Jumeirah Estates.
As announced earlier this year, the Irish Open has gained a more favourable slot over the August bank holiday weekend and moves back to Killarney in Co Kerry.
A notable absentee from the schedule is the European Open, which has been played every season since 1977 and was hosted at the K Club for many years before moving to The London Club in 2007.
That had been backed by the same Leisurecorp company who were behind the Dubai World Championship.
The six new tournaments, however, are the Africa Open in South Africa, Avantha Masters in India, Hassan Trophy in Morocco, Open Cala Millor Mallorca in Majorca, the Vivendi at a venue yet to be announced and the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama.
A date has yet to be fixed for the Volvo World Match Play won by Ross Fisher last month, but it will be on the same Finca Cortesin course in Spain.
Wentworth, its previous home, unveils its new look at the BMW PGA Championship in May. As well as changes to all the greens the 18th now features a ditch short of the putting surface.
The 2010 season actually starts this week with the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa and the Tour will travel through four continents before coming to an end in Dubai next November.
EUROPEAN TOUR 2010 SCHEDULE
2009 DECEMBER
10-13:Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek, Malelane, South Africa.
17-20:South African Open Championship, Pearl Valley, Paarl, South Africa.
2010 JANUARY
7-10:Africa Open, East London, South Africa
14-17:Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, South Africa
21-24:Abu Dhabi Championship, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
28-31: Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, Doha, Qatar
FEBRUARY
4-7:Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates Club, United Arab Emirates
11-14:Avantha Masters, DLF G&CC, New Delhi, India
18-21:WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona
25-28:tbc
MARCH
4-7:Maybank Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur G&CC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
11-14:WGC — CA Championship, Doral, Miami, Florida, USA
18-21:Hassan II Golf Trophy, Royal Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
25-28:Andalucian Open, Parador de Malaga, Malaga, Spain
APRIL
1-4:Estoril Portuguese Open, Penha Longa GC, Linho Sintra, Estoril, Portugal
8-11: US Masters, Augusta National, Georgia, USA
8-11:Madeira Islands Open BPI-Portugal, Porto Santo, Madeira.
15-19:tbc
22-25:Ballantine's Championship, Pinx GC, Jeju Island, South Korea
29 – May 2:Spanish Open, Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
MAY
6-9:BMW Italian Open, Royal Park I Roveri, Turin, Italy
13-16:Mallorca Open, Pula GC, Son Servera, Mallorca, Spain
20-23:BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Surrey, England
27-30:Madrid Masters, venue to be confirmed
JUNE
3-6:Wales Open, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales
10-13:Austrian Open, Fontana GC, Vienna, Austria
17-20: US Open, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California, USA
17-20:Saint-Omer Open, Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, France
24-27:BMW International Open, Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
JULY
1-4:French Open, Le Golf National, Paris, France
8-11:Scottish Open, Loch Lomond GC, Glasgow, Scotland
15-18 British Open, Old Course, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
22-25:Scandinavian Masters, Bro Hof Slott GC, Stockholm, Sweden
29- Aug 1:Irish Open, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Killarney, Co Kerry, Ireland
AUGUST
5-8:WGC – Bridgestone Invitational Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio, USA
12-15: US PGA Championship, Whistling Straits, Kohler, WI, USA
19-22:Czech Open, Prosper Golf Resort, Čeladná, Czech Republic
26-29:Johnnie Walker Championship, Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland
SEPTEMEBER
2-5:European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland
9-12:KLM Open, Hilversum, Netherlands
16-19:tbc
23-26:The Vivendi, venue to be confirmed
OCTOBER
1-3:The Ryder Cup, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales
7-10:Alfred Dunhill Links, Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland
14-17:Portugal Masters, Oceanico Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal
21-24:Castelló Masters, Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, Castellón, Valencia, Spain
28-31:Andalucia Masters, Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain
NOVEMBER
4-7:WGC - HSBC Champions, Sheshan International GC, Shanghai, China
11-14:Singapore Open, Sentosa GC, Singapore
18-21:Hong Kong Open, Fanling, Hong Kong
25-28:Dubai World Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE
* Other dates to be confirmed
Volvo China Open
Volvo World Match Play Championship
JBWere Masters
