PGA Europro Tour PGA National Tournament Department Courtyard 5 Coleshill Manor Office Campus Coleshill Birmingham B46 1DL
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PGA EuroPro Tour PGA National Tournament Department Courtyard 5 Coleshill Manor Office Campus Coleshill Birmingham B46 1DL Telephone: +44 (0) 1675 468380 Email: [email protected] Websites: www.pga.info; www.europrotour.com December 2014 Dear Applicant, PGA EuroPro Tour 2015 The PGA EuroPro Tour is about to start another exciting season and whether you have been a member in the past or are thinking about becoming a member for the first time, this is the most important document you need; please find some general information about the PGA EuroPro Tour and the 2015 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School. The PGA EuroPro Tour is the only officially recognised satellite Tour in the UK, and one of the leading Tours in Europe. We are the only Tour in the UK that offers direct access to the European Challenge Tour through our Final Order of Merit. In the forthcoming season there will be a minimum of 16 tournaments between April and November. PGA EuroPro Tour members will compete for total prize money of over £800,000. One of the primary goals of the PGA EuroPro Tour is to enable players to perform at the highest possible level and prepare them for life as a Tour Professional. There is extensive media coverage at every tournament which consists of a televised two hour highlights package on Sky Sports HD that gives each player the invaluable experience of playing in front of the cameras. Members will also have the opportunity to promote themselves and sponsors through interview and social media such as Twitter and Facebook. All this is directed towards providing members with the full experience of being a professional sportsperson. The top 5 players from the PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit who are not otherwise exempt at the end of the 2015 season will gain Category 13 membership of the European Challenge Tour in 2016*. The PGA EuroPro Tour also offers high performing members with several playing opportunities on the European Challenge Tour each season. In addition, exemptions to Stage 2 of 2015 European Tour Qualifying School are available for those members who find themselves in the Top 6 of the 2015 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit by the closing date of European Tour Qualifying School entries*. 2014 again proved to be a stellar year for recent PGA EuroPro Tour members. 2013 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit winner Oliver Farr secured his European Tour card through the 2014 Challenge Tour Order of Merit whilst William Harrold, who won two events at the start of the 2014 season on the PGA EuroPro Tour claimed his first Challenge Tour title in 2014. Eight victories were recorded on the European Tour during the 2014 season by former PGA EuroPro Tour members including two maiden victories for Daniel Brooks and Oliver Wilson. In addition John Parry, Matt Ford, Tom Murray and the 2012 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit winner Paul Maddy all made it through European Tour Qualifying School to earn their right to play on the European Tour in 2015. These are just a few of many success stories and further evidence that the PGA EuroPro Tour has long been a breeding ground for young talent in Europe. We hope that this year will be a stepping stone for you. (……..Continued) For those who will be first time members of the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2015, the following points will provide you with some general facts about the Tour: Each tournament is scheduled for 54 holes of stroke play. Each tournament has a 36 hole cut to the top 50 players and ties. Prior to each Tournament there is an Official Practice Day and a Pro-Am. Regular tournaments have a minimum guaranteed prizefund of £46,735 to players making the 36 hole cut. Each tournament has a 2 hour TV highlights package broadcast on Sky Sports HD. The entry fee for each tournament is £295. Every tournament has a maximum field size of either 168 or 156 depending on daylight hours and course geography. PGA EuroPro Tour Regulations are applicable to each member, which aims to maintain the highest standard of professionalism and uphold the integrity of the Tour and the game itself. For the time being however, the most important thing is to join the PGA EuroPro Tour. Upon doing so successfully you will then be able to enter Qualifying School. Full details can be found on the enclosed literature but in the meantime the main points for your consideration include the following: The annual Membership fee for the PGA EuroPro Tour is £250. The 2015 Qualifying School entry fee is £195. You must join the Tour before being able to enter Qualifying School. Amateurs with an official handicap of 2 or less are allowed to play PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School and retain their Amateur Status throughout if they wish. Having entered Qualifying School, and turned Professional before, during or after the School, you are guaranteed an exemption category for the 2015 season allowing you to enter all the tournaments. Opportunities to compete on the European Challenge Tour are available to PGA EuroPro Tour Members through mid-season rankings and final Order of Merit positions. All tournament correspondence will be sent to members via text and email. All PGA EuroPro Tour information is available on www.pga.info, www.europrotour.com and the PGA EuroPro Tour App. Full player and course statistics can also be found on these sites. A Members’ only area of the website is available which includes member deals, Tour Policies, Rules and Regulations, player notices, venue accommodation deals and other information. For those of you who are new to the PGA EuroPro Tour I hope that this has provided you with an insight into the Tour and what it has to offer. If you have any enquiries either now or during the season please don’t hesitate to contact the Tournament Department on the above details. Your first step to becoming a successful Touring Professional in 2015 starts by logging on to our website and entering Qualifying School which opens on Monday 5th January. Simply click on the “sign up now” link on the player login section of www.europrotour.com and follow the on screen instructions. With very best wishes for the forthcoming season. Yours sincerely, Ben Groutage Head of Tournaments * European Challenge Tour categories and the number of spots available are subject to annual review and change at the discretion of the European Tour/European Challenge Tour. QUALIFYING SCHOOL 2015 (Including exempt Player Information) Qualifying School Stage 1 Tuesday 31st March & Wednesday 1st April 2015 Burhill, Surrey (New Course) Woldingham, Surrey Mottram Hall, Cheshire The Players Club, Bristol (Codrington Course) Slaley Hall, Northumberland (Priestman Course) Qualifying School Final Stage Wednesday 8th – Friday 10th April 2015 Frilford Heath Golf Club (Blue and Red), Oxford CONDITIONS OF ENTRY 1. Conditions of Play Qualifying School Stage 1 (i) Players not exempt for Qualifying School Final Stage under the categories listed in section 3 will be required to play at a Stage 1 venue. (ii) Entrants will be allocated to their preferred venue on a first come first serve basis. (iii) In the event of a venue being oversubscribed, priority of course nomination will be determined by the payment date of the entry fee via on-line entries. (iv) Stage 1 will be contested over 36 holes of stroke play with 18 holes being played each day. (v) Each venue (listed above) will have a maximum entry of 84 players. (vi) The primary objective is to balance the number of entries at each venue. Therefore, in the event that in excess of 420 entries for Stage 1 are received, the PGA EuroPro Tour will increase the field size of one or more venues in order to accommodate the additional entries. Venue allocation for these entries is pre determined and will not be subject to change. (vii) There will be no cut. (viii) The exact number of players qualifying to proceed to the Qualifying School Final Stage will be announced after all competitors have teed off at all five venues, i.e. the afternoon of Tuesday 31st March. They will be divided between the qualifying rounds and will be calculated as a percentage of total entries. Provisional numbers will be announced at the close of entries on Tuesday 17th March. (ix) At each Stage 1 venue, in the event of a tie for the last qualifying place, a ‘hole-by-hole’ play-off will be held until the exact number of qualifiers is achieved. Alternates at each venue will be decided by card count back over the last 9, 6, 3, 1 holes and, if still tied, Matchplay from the first hole. Results achieved in the play-off for the final qualifying place will supersede the card count back. (x) Play shall be in accordance with the PGA EuroPro Tour Regulations, Rules of Golf of R&A Rules Ltd, PGA EuroPro Tour Local Rules and Conditions of Competition and the local rules for each venue, as approved by the respective Tournament Director. Qualifying School Final Stage (i) Players exempt from Stage 1 of the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School for 2015 may enter the Final Stage in order to improve their ranking, with the exception of players eligible for Category 1 and 2 who will not be permitted to enter. (ii) The Qualifying School Final will be contested over 54 holes of stroke play with 18 holes being played each day. (iii) Qualifying School Final Stage will have an entry of 240 players competing over both the Red and Blue courses at Frilford Heath Golf Club.