PGA EuroPro Tour to end after 20 years

The PGA EuroPro Tour has announced that this season will be its last season.

The mainly UK-based professional golf tour, which was created in 2002 following the merger of the EuroPro Tour and the PGA MasterCard Tour, has been credited with starting the careers of several golfers, including Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Nicolas Colsaerts, Jamie Donaldson, Ross Fisher, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Oliver Wilson.

It is to be closed down because “increasing costs and the changing habits of the worldwide audience” means there is no longer the support nor the demand in the market for it to operate.

The purpose of the PGA EuroPro was to develop the very best talent in the sport and prepare them for the next stage in their careers. As a direct affiliate to the European Tour, it offered five Challenge Tour cards for the following season and has promoted over 100 golfers to the next level.

“After what has been a phenomenal 20 years of developing many of Europe’s best professional golfers, the PGA EuroPro Tour has decided to make 2022 the final season,” said Daniel Godding, CEO of the PGA EuroPro Tour.

“In a market evolving quickly the PGA EuroPro Tour feels the impact of changing global investment, media and sponsorship. The economic landscape of increasing costs and the changing habits of the worldwide audience means it has become clear that unfortunately there is no longer the support nor demand in the market to operate the PGA EuroPro Tour.

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“The PGA EuroPro Tour has provided a world class service to its members offering a stepping stone and media experience like no other tour. But in recent times, the sports environment has evolved drastically, and it has proven difficult for the PGA EuroPro Tour to operate. We are sad to bring an era to its end, but we are delighted that we have helped so many realise their dreams.

“We wish everyone the best of success in the years to come and we’re excited to see where our past and current members can take their games. We’d like to use this opportunity to thank all our staff and PGA Members, all our partners from the 20 years who have made it possible and every golf club and volunteer who has been so hospitable when the PGA EuroPro Tour has come to town.

“Our final event will be the Matchroom Sport Tour Championship at Lough Erne Resort between 19th and 21st October, where the top five at the end of the event will be promoted to the Challenge Tour for 2023.”

Robert Maxfield, chief executive of the PGA, said: “I would like to thank and congratulate Matchroom for successfully operating the PGA EuroPro Tour for so many years. A number of today’s global golf stars owe a huge debt of gratitude to the PGA EuroPro Tour for providing them with the opportunity to realise their dreams. It is sad that this will be the last season of the PGA EuroPro Tour but we can all look back with great pride on what has been achieved over the last 20 years.”
Matchroom Sport and PGA EuroPro Tour president, Barry Hearn, added: “I have been honoured to have created the PGA EuroPro Tour alongside Sandy Jones of the PGA and to watch the development of so many aspiring and inspiring professional golfers.

“Sadly, in these changing times for professional golf, support for Europes’ biggest development tour has not been sufficient to justify its continuation but I must stress my eternal gratitude to Dan Godding and his team at the PGA EuroPro Tour, the PGA, our broadcasters Sky Sports and the golf clubs and volunteers in both the UK and Europe without whom we would never have created so many opportunities for next generation of professional golfers.”