MOROCCO: England’s Chris Wood secured the 2025/26 MENA Golf Tour Rankings title following the conclusion of the Morocco Series, earning a full HotelPlanner Tour card for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The former Ryder Cup player topped the final standings with 59,320 points from eight events, finishing well ahead of Spain’s Juan Salama, who was second with 33,050 points. France’s Pierre Pineau finished third on 31,531 points, while Jack Davidson was fourth with 30,355 points.
The season was affected by the regional situation, which led to the removal of scheduled events in Jordan, Qatar and the UAE, with the final rankings determined from completed tournaments.
Wood’s victory is a significant moment in one of professional golf’s notable comeback stories. The three-time DP World Tour winner — whose career highlights include the 2016 BMW PGA Championship and representing Europe in the Ryder Cup the same year — spent several years away from the game while battling chronic anxiety and burnout before returning to competitive golf.
After winning Qualifying School in Portugal by six shots to secure his MENA Golf Tour card, Wood went on to win three tournaments during the season — in Portugal, Egypt and Morocco, to seal the rankings title.
Wood said: “I’m very proud to have won the Order of Merit. There are some impressive players on the MENA Golf Tour, which shows the depth of golf worldwide nowadays — I was pushed all the way to my three victories, which is great for me to have those pressure situations.
“Each win offered me something different, and to win in three different countries is something I’m very proud of.
“The MENA Golf Tour has offered me a realistic route back to where I want to be playing, and I can’t wait to get going.”
As winner of the final rankings, Wood receives a Category 12 exemption and a full HotelPlanner Tour card for the remainder of the 2026 season, starting with the Italian Challenge Open in May.
The rankings also open further opportunities for leading players on the tour. With Wood and Pineau already exempt, Salama, Davidson and Ludovico Addabbo will receive invitations to compete in two HotelPlanner Tour events scheduled in the UAE in September, each offering prize funds of $350,000. Salama and Davidson will also receive four additional exemptions into upcoming HotelPlanner Tour events beginning in May.
Keith Waters, chairman and commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour, said: “Winning three times in three different countries and topping the rankings from start to finish — that is a remarkable achievement and Chris thoroughly deserves everything that comes with it.
“His story is one of real resilience and determination and watching him compete week after week this season has been a privilege.
“We also want to pay tribute to Gen. Abdullah Al Hashmi, president of the Emirates Golf Federation and MENA Golf Tour board member, whose support has been instrumental in making these opportunities available to our leading players.
“We wish to acknowledge the disappointment caused by the removal of our final four events — which were due to take place in the GCC — from the schedule. The safety and wellbeing of our players, caddies, officials and all tournament personnel is always our absolute priority, and those decisions were not taken lightly.
“We thank everyone for their understanding during a challenging period. The final rankings standings reflect the results across all completed events, and we are proud of what this season has delivered.”
The MENA Golf Tour — the only Official World Golf Ranking-recognized circuit founded and headquartered in the Middle East — has served as a pathway to the highest levels of professional golf, with several former players going on to win titles on the world stage.