European Tour ‘on a very stable footing’

• European Tour players will compete for record €166million
• Mainly down to the addition of seven new tournaments
• “European Tour is currently on a very stable footing”

European Tour players will compete for record prize money of €166million in the 2015 Race to Dubai – an 18.5% increase on last year – thanks chiefly to the addition of seven new tournaments to the International Schedule.

The rise of €26million from 2014’s figures has also been helped by prize fund increases for four tournaments, including the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which had a record purse of €5million.

This year’s Race to Dubai consists of 48 tournaments played in 27 different countries. The 40 regular European Tour events (excluding the four majors and four WGC events) contribute €97.4million to the record overall prize money total – an increase of 11.8% on last year.

“It is clear from these positive figures that the European Tour is currently on a very stable footing” – Keith Waters

The addition of the $5million Bonus Pool, available for the top 15 finishers at the conclusion of the 2015 Race to Dubai, takes the combined prize fund for these regular events past the €100million mark.

Keith Waters, the European Tour’s chief executive officer and director of international policy, said: “It is clear from these positive figures that the European Tour is currently on a very stable footing. Our aim is to give all our members playing opportunities in events around the world, and our robust schedule gives them the chance to do just that.

“The seven new tournaments which have joined the European Tour International Schedule in 2015, together with significant prize fund increases for some of our established tournaments, have helped create a schedule which we believe is unparalleled in its strength, variety and diversity.

CONTINUES BELOW…

“We should thank all our tournaments sponsors and promoters and the various federations for their ongoing support and commitment to the European Tour, and we look forward to the second half of a season which has already served to showcase the strength and depth of the Tour and our members.”

Three new tournaments on European soil – the €1million Paul Lawrie Match Play, the £3million British Masters and the €2million European Open – contribute to a combined prize fund of €51.5million for the 21 events held in the European Tour’s heartland this season.

That figure – which is augmented by prize fund increases for the BMW PGA Championship, the Irish Open, the Lyoness Open and the Scottish Open – represents a 13.% increase on the 2014 total of €45.4million.

Similarly, the cumulative prize funds for the 19 tournaments held outside Europe this season has risen by 10.1%, from €41.6million to €45.9million, due largely to the introduction of four new events on the 2015 European Tour International Schedule: the $2million True Thailand Classic, the $1.5million Hero Indian Open, the $2.5million Shenzhen International and the €1million AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

European Tour :: A healthy future

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