EuroPro Tour schedule unveiled

New venues feature on the 2017 HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour schedule which has been announced today.

Machynys Peninsula, Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa, Mannings Heath and Studley Wood will all stage Europe’s leading developmental tour for the first time.

Wychwood Park, Collingtree Park and Ballykisteen also return to the line-up of tournaments.

And for the first time in its 15-year history, the EuroPro Tour will play the same course as the European Tour in the same season.

Its opening event from April 26-28 will be staged on the Colt Course at Close House - the Northumbrian venue also hosts the British Masters in the autumn.

May marks a welcome return to Ireland and Ballykisteen (May 10-12) while the following week the tour heads to Frilford Heath in Oxford (May 17-19), where those who gained their tour card through Q School in April will return to the scene of their success.

In June, the tour makes its annual trip to Scotland’s east coast, where the historic Montrose Golf Links (June 13-15) will once again welcome Europe’s leading young professionals.

Studley Wood is the venue for event five of the season (June 21-23) before the tour is back at Cumberwell Park (June 28-30), which has established itself as a favourite among players.

July begins with a trip north to Longhirst Hall (July 5-7) in Morpeth and then sees a first visit to Wales since 2015 with Machynys Peninsula (July 19-21) the host course.

Luton Hoo (July 26-28) makes its EuroPro debut for the tour’s ninth event of the year before Mannings Heath Golf Club & Wine Estate (August 2-4) also welcome’s the next generation of aspiring tour stars.

Wychwood Park (August 9-11) then hosts the tour for the first time since 2012 with Caversham Heath (August 16-18) and East Sussex National (August 23-25) both returning after successful tournaments in 2016.

Collingtree Park (August 30-September 1) is next up with Moor Allerton (September 13-15) continuing its role as the host venue for the final tournament before Tour Championship.

Daniel Godding, director of operations for the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour, said: “I am thrilled with the schedule we have put together for 2017. We have some fantastic new courses and are welcoming back some great venues we have previously visited.

“Last year was a great year for recent EuroPro graduates on the Challenge and European Tours and I know the quality of the courses and the standard of play in 2017 will really test the best young golfers in Europe and help them grow into the European Tour stars of the future.

“With a £50,000 prize fund at every tournament and TV exposure on Sky Sports and in 98 countries around the world, there isn’t a better place to hone your game than on the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour.”

Tour members will compete for more than £800,000 of prize money in 2017, with the top five golfers at the end of the season awarded a category on the 2018 Challenge Tour.

Providing vital experience of life on tour, players will compete in 15 main events at some of the UK and Ireland’s premier golfing venues.

The season concludes with the Tour’s top 60 players contending the Tour Championship. Players qualify to play on the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour either through a two-stage Qualifying School in the spring, or thanks to their 2015 achievements.