The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, DP World Tour and PGA Tour today announced an expanded partnership, extending the long-standing relationship between the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour until the end of 2027 as the three organisations continue to work towards a more connected global professional golf ecosystem.<\/p>\n
As part of the announcement, the BMW Australian PGA Championship has also been confirmed as a co-sanctioned Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour event for a further three years, securing its position alongside the Capital.com Australian Open as an important international platform for players from Australasia.<\/p>\n
The co-sanctioning commitment of the Championship, which will be played at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from November 26-29 this year, provides longer-term certainty for one of the oldest and most significant championships in the region. It also continues to bring together leading Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour players.<\/p>\n
This announcement \u2013 along with the recent PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Golf Australia partnership \u2013 is part of a collective effort to enhance the global golf ecosystem and highlight the Australasian Tour\u2019s role therein.<\/p>\n
The new agreement will see the three Tours continue to work together across player pathways and playing opportunities, tournament development, player services and broader commercial opportunities.<\/p>\n
The formal relationship between the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour began in 2017 and was most recently extended in 2022, with these partnerships having had the support of the PGA Tour through its Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour.<\/p>\n
The pathway opportunities are exemplified by 22 Australasians competing in the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour, 19 of which have won on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.<\/p>\n
Ten of those players earned their place directly through their performance on last season\u2019s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, which is one of many pathway opportunities provided by the partnership, alongside a full card on offer for playing rights on the DP World Tour, and another two cards for the equivalent on the HotelPlanner Tour. Those opportunities are paired with an array of Tour Qualifying School exemptions for the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.<\/p>\n
PGA of Australia and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia CEO Gavin Kirkman said the extension of the partnership was an important next step in the evolution of the Tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is another significant step forward for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and, most importantly, for our Tournament Members,\u201d Kirkman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur partnership with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour has delivered genuine outcomes over a number of years. Prize money and events across our Tour have grown, our players have greater access to international opportunities, we have strengthened exemptions into Major championships and other significant events, and our broadcast and commercial platform has continued to develop.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe PGA Tour have been tremendous supporters of our Tour, and we look forward to continuing to evolve that relationship for many years to come as we cement ourselves as an important cog in the global golf ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur role is to provide our players with a great Tour to compete on at home, while creating the clearest possible pathways for those who want to take their careers onto the world stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cMin Woo Lee is a great example, catapulting his career after winning the co-sanctioned DP World Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Vic Open in 2020 before winning the Scottish Open in 2021 and the Australian PGA Championship in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy working directly with both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, our opportunity is to formally confirm and strengthen those pathways, while also exploring what more we can achieve together across tournaments, player services, commercial opportunities and the broader development of the Tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are regularly blown away by the impact of Australasians on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, so we can\u2019t wait to see more of our players progressing to the world stage and adding to the tally of 27 wins across both Tours since 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n
PGA of Australia Chair Ian Baker-Finch said the strengthened international relationships were critical to ensuring Australasia remained an important part of world professional golf, while the co-sanctioned BMW Australian PGA Championship until at least 2029 will create even more opportunities on home soil.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor generations, players from Australia and New Zealand have travelled around the world and competed successfully at the very highest level,\u201d Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA strong Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is fundamental to ensuring the next generation has that same opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe partnership with the DP World Tour has already strengthened that pathway considerably. To now formally have the PGA Tour alongside us is an important recognition of the role our Tour and this region can continue to play within world golf.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecuring the BMW Australian PGA Championship as a co-sanctioned event for a further three years alongside the Australian Open is another important part of that. Our major tournaments provide an opportunity for our players to compete against world-class fields on home soil and showcase professional golf in this country to audiences at home around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
PGA Tour Senior Vice President, International, Christian Hardy echoed the importance of the strengthened partnership between all three organisations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis agreement represents another important step towards greater connectivity across the international game,\u201d Hardy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy working more closely with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the DP World Tour, we can strengthen pathways for players, create more meaningful opportunities across our Tours and help ensure the Australasian region remains an important part of the global golf ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n
DP World Tour Chief Tournament and Operations Officer Ben Cowen said the new agreement builds on a successful relationship with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia extending almost a decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a long association with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, one that is built on shared values, opportunity and globality. Today\u2019s news marks another important chapter in this partnership,\u201d Cowen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs golf\u2019s Global Tour, we take great pride in bringing together the best international talent, and providing formal pathways for players to compete on the world stage. This new agreement, with the expanded support of the PGA Tour, will further strengthen these opportunities and Australasia\u2019s impact on the great game of golf.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we near our return down under in November, we are excited to again be opening our season with the BMW Australian PGA Championship. This tournament is a key launchpad for the Race to Dubai, and we look forward to having it part of our global schedule for a further three years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9 Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
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