GOLF EUROPEAN ARTICLES

For years, in fact for all the years, the PGA Tour has been the only game in town for golf pros. Sure there’s the DP World Tour in Europe, the developmental Korn Ferry Tour and of course the Champions Tour for aging veterans. But for those who have game in the prime of their careers, the PGA stop is the only way to go.That’s all about to change, though, thanks to the deep pockets of a Saudi Arabian-based investment firm ponying up a boatload of money for a breakaway golf league. The new league r... 

The European Tour puts a lid on the 2021 season with a talented field off to Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship. Anyone in the field can claim the tournament title but just a handful of players can with the Race to Dubai as the Tour’s top player this season. Collin Morikawa currently leads the R2D and can become the first American to win the season-long rankings. He has the lead playing in just nine counting tournaments. The field lost top European draws Jon Rahm and Vikto... 

Fittingly the Race to Dubai ends in Dubai with the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates putting a wrap on the 2021 European Tour season. The event lost some of its luster with big name European stars Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland opting out. That doesn’t take anything away from what’s at stake, though. R2D points leader Collin Morikawa is in prime position to claim the prize and is listed as the second favorite on the outright odds behind Rory McIlroy. There have be... 

The most prestigious event on the European Tour gets solo billing this week with the PGA Tour taking the week off after concluding its playoffs. A few PGA players join an already star-studded field at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, England for this week’s BMW PGA Championship. There is plenty at stake with the season winding down. Not only is this the third Rolex Series event of the campaign, Ryder Cup qualification is still a possibility for several players. Defending champion ... 

You can always tell the importance of a tournament by the quality of the players. That’s the case this week with a star-studded field off to Surrey, England and the Wentworth Golf Club for the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship, the third Rolex Series event of the season. This prestigious competition brings out the best on the Euro circuit and with Ryder Cup qualification still in play there is plenty at stake. Viktor Hovland returns to Wentworth as the betting favorite ahead ... 

A regular part of the rotation since the European Tour’s inception in 1972, the Italian Open heads to the outskirts of Rome and the Marco Simone Golf Club for the first time since 1994. The tournament, as well as the host venue, has undergone major changes recently. Dropped from the prestigious Rolex Series a few years back, the Italian Open has seen a drop in the talent level. Still, a solid field will attack a course that had a full makeover in preparation for hosting the 2023... 

Part of the rotation since the European Tour was first recognized in 1972, the Italian Open returns to Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome for the first time since 1994 to host the country’s national open. The tournament lost some of its luster when it was pulled from the Rolex Series a few years ago and we’ve seen a drop in the talent level as a result. Still, we have a fairly strong field headlined by betting favorite Matthew Fitzpatrick, two-time major champion Martin Kaymer and e... 

The European Tour heads to one of the most picturesque tracks in the rotation this week with the field gathering along the Swiss Alps for the playing of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club. We missed out on the breathtaking views last season when the tournament was canceled, but like a number of events it’s back on the slate. The first and so far only Tour victory for Sebastian Soderberg was here in 2019 when he toppled four other golfers in a playoff. In fa... 

A bunch of tournaments that were displaced due to the COVID pandemic last year have resurfaced and we get another this week when the European Tour heads to picturesque Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland for the Omega European Masters. The field is bolstered by a number of players who failed to make the cut for the PGA Tour playoff like Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and Henrik Stenson. Defending champ Sebastian Soderberg is also scheduled to peg it up. They’re al... 

It’s not the strongest field assembled for a European Tour event, but that should only add to the excitement as the D+D Real Czech Masters returns to the rotation after being scrubbed last year due to COVID. Still relatively new on the calendar this is only the seventh time the tournament has been played. In 2019 Thomas Pieters became the first multiple winner, but we will have a new champion since Pieters isn’t included in the field. Sam Horsfield opened as the betting favorite... 

A victim of COVID last year, the D+D Real Czech Masters returns to the schedule. Unfortunately we have a less than stellar field ready to peg it up at Albatross Golf Club in Prague. Defending champ and two-time winner Thomas Pieters will pass the torch and we are guaranteed a first time winner since none of the previous champions of this event are entered. There isn’t a long history at this tournament with the first playing in 2014 and the odds suggest a wide open field with Sam... 

The curtain falls on the UK Swing when the European Tour heads to majestic London Golf Club in Kent, England for the Cazoo Classic. This event is a revival of the English Open, which was last played in 2002, and returns to Kent just a few weeks after The Open was contested at Royal St. George’s. It’s been over a decade since the LGC hosted a Tour event so the setting should be new to most players, but the course isn’t much different from others in these parts. He’s never won on ... 

The reincarnation of the English Open has the European Tour back in Kent, England just a short time after The Open Championship for the maiden Cazoo Classic. The tournament brings a close to the Tour’s UK Swing with several players looking to creep up the Ryder Cup points list. One of those players is betting favorite Bernd Wiesberger. The eight-time ET winner has never won on English soil, but a good showing this week improves his status as an automatic Ryder Cup team qualifier... 

With two PGA Tour events taking place at the same time, the European Tour picks up the scraps for the second playing of the Hero Open. For the second time in 10 months the field heads to the Torrance Course at Fairmont St. Andrews in Scotland with a host of locals attempting to lift the hardware on Sunday. The contingent of Scots is led by four-time ET winner Stephen Gallacher and includes Calum Hill, Grant Forrest and Connor Syme. The favorite on the opening line, however, is E... 

The European Tour returns to a familiar location for the first playing of the Cazoo Open, though it’s not the first event. Formerly known as the Wales Open, the tournament was an addition to the COVID schedule last year, making its first appearance on Tour in six years. Historic Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales hosted consecutive events last year with Romain Langasque winning the Wales Open and Sam Horsfield claiming the Celtic Classic. Horsfield is back among the favorites... 

The name has changed thanks to the deep pockets of a new corporate sponsor, but the venue and history remain intact for this week’s Cazoo Open. Formerly the Wales Open, the tournament returned to the reimagined schedule last year after a few years on hiatus. Romain Langasque captured the title in 2020 making a trip around historic Celtic Manor Resort at 8-under. The TwentyTen Course played host to consecutive tournaments last year thanks to COVID so most of the field is familiar... 

The first Rolex Series event since January takes place this week when the European Tour heads to the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland for the Scottish Open. It’s a rare time in professional golf with the Euro Tour stealing the spotlight from the PGA Tour, which has its weekly competition in Illinois. Some of the game’s best are in attendance this week with a strong contingent from the United States. Jon Rahm is set to peg it up for the first time since winning the U.S... 

The top of the odds board for this week’s Scottish Open looks like a who’s who at a major championship. Some of the best players in the world have opted to make the trip to The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland to compete in the second Rolex Series event of the season on the European Tour. Making his debut in this tournament and playing for the first time since winning the U.S. Open, Jon Rahm is positioned as the betting favorite with PGA Tour notables Xander Schauffel... 

Rory McIlroy rarely skips a chance to compete in his country’s national open so he’s back on the European Tour headlining a strong field as a massive favorite to win this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. McIlroy is joined by fellow countryman Shane Lowry at the top of the odds board. Each has won this tournament previously with McIlroy capturing the title in 2016 and Lowry winning as an amateur back in 2009. The nomadic existence of the event has the field in County Kilkenny a... 

The natives are out in force for this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. That means Ireland’s top two ranked golfers will tee it up at Mount Juliet Estate and they are tops on the opening odds board. Rory McIlroy, who won this event in 2016, is a huge favorite to win his national open with Shane Lowry a distant second. Lowry is also a former winner lifting the hardware in 2009. Mount Juliet last hosted an event in 2004 and hasn’t hosted the Irish Open since 1995. John Catlin loo... 

First played in 1989, the BMW International Open returns to the rotation after being cancelled last year due to COVID. It was the only game in town until a few years ago when another high-end German automaker joined the fray. Still, this event is near and dear to the hearts of many on the European Tour which is why we have another stellar field pegging it up at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried despite taking place after the U.S. Open. Fresh off his second straight runner-up finish in... 

There is no shortage of talent as the European Tour pegs it up this week in Germany for the BMW International Open. The tournament was shuttered last year due to COVID issues but resumes with U.S. Open runner-up Louis Oosthuizen positioned close behind opening favorite Viktor Hovland on the odds board. Sergio Garcia is third on the list with a major drop off in price following the top three. The trio competed last week in the States, as did several others among the field, but th... 

The European Tour has pushed the boundaries the last few years with some outside-the-box thinking when it comes to tournaments. Officials are at it again with this week’s Scandinavian Mixed, a combination of the Euro Tour and Ladies European Tour with players competing against each other for one sum of prize money and one trophy. I’m all for equality, but there’s a reason why there are separate Tour’s for both genders. The likelihood of the best female player toppling the field ... 

There is a reason why men and women have their own Tour. For one week that’s not the case as the European Tour and Ladies European Tour combine forces for the innovative Scandinavian Mixed. The field consists of 78 men and 78 women competing against each other for one prize fund and one trophy. The tournament was scheduled to debut last year but fell victim to the COVID pandemic. It resurfaced with Annika Sorenstam, one of the top female golfers to ever play the game, serving as... 

In a sign that we’re not completely over the COVID pandemic, the European Tour adjusted its schedule for this week’s Porsche European Open. Due to travel restrictions in Germany the tournament will now start on Saturday becoming a 54-hole event instead of the traditional 72 holes. The delayed start allows for golfers to clear travel protocols so we could actually have an event. Green Eagle Golf Courses in Hamburg will serve as host for a fourth straight playing with Paul Casey t...