PGA Europro Tour reveal best ever schedule

The UK’s leading golf tour is set for its best ever season after the PGA EuroPro Tour launched its greatest line-up of courses to date.

European golf’s third-tier tour will visit some of the best courses across England, Scotland and Ireland in 2014 and in a Ryder Cup year starts in style at a former Ryder Cup host venue – the Brabazon at The Belfry, from April 15-17.

As part of a new strategic partnership with De Vere, the tour will also bring Europe’s best young golfers to The Carrick on Loch Lomond (July 9-11), pictured below, and Slaley Hall (August 13-15).

After starting at The Belfry the tour returns to Montrose Golf Links. The historic course made a successful debut on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2013 and will again welcome the tour to Scotland’s east coast from April 29-May 1.

Longhirst Hall stages event number three from May 21-23, and for the first time the tour will play on the Dawson Course at the Northumberland venue.

The tour then heads to long-standing venue Burhill (May 29-31), where the New Course is often praised as one of the best on tour.

Event five sees a return to KK Downing’s The Astbury in Shropshire from June 11-13. The course earned rave reviews from players after making its EuroPro debut last season.

From Shropshire the tour travels to Wiltshire for a maiden appearance at Cumberwell Park, described as one of southern England’s best new courses. The tournament will take place from June 18-20. The short trip to Frilford Heath’s Blue Course in Oxfordshire follows from June 25-27.

The tour stays in Scotland after its week at The Carrick to play at Royal Burgess in Edinburgh from July 16-18.

The final event of July sees a trip to Ireland and the third consecutive visit to the stunning and popular Concra Wood in Castleblayney from July 23-25.

Moor Allerton was rated as one of 2013’s best new events and the tour returns to the Leeds club from August 6-8, before heading to Northumberland to play Slaley Hall’s Priestman Course.

Last year’s Tour Championship hosts Prince’s stages event number 13 from August 19-21 on their Shores and Dunes course, before the tour heads to The Oxfordshire from August 27-29.

The regular season concludes back in Scotland, where Mar Hall will host the tour for a third successive year following which the top 60 on the Order of Merit will be invited to play the Tour Championship.

PGA EuroPro Tour Director of Operations Daniel Godding said: “I am thrilled with the 15 courses we have lined up for this summer’s Tour. We have courses with a great pedigree of holding major tournaments on the European Tour and the Ryder Cup, as well as some of the best new courses the UK and Ireland have to offer.”

A two-hour highlights package from every event will be broadcast on Sky Sports four times within two weeks of the tournament, and will later be available on the tour’s YouTube channel.

Details of the 2014 Tour Championship will be announced in the spring. Entries for the 2014 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School have now opened.

Qualifying School takes place over two stages, with players choosing from De Vere Slaley Hall, Formby Hall, Woldingham and The Players Club for their 36-hole first stage before successful golfers progress to second stage, with 54 holes played over the Red and Blue Courses at Frilford Heath. Further details can be found at www.europrotour.com

PGA EuroPro Tour Schedule 2014