DP World backs The Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final
The Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club received a great boost with the news that global marine terminal operator DP World is to support the tournament, taking place from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 8 November in Dubai. The move means that the season-ending events on both The European Tour and the European Challenge Tour have the backing of DP World, which acts as title sponsor for the DP World Tour Championship taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 November.
“It’s hugely significant for the region that Dubai now hosts the season-ending grand finales for both the European Challenge Tour and The European Tour,” said HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulyem, Chairman of DP World. “We’re thrilled to be supporting the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club, it’s a fantastic event featuring the very best players on the tour, some of which may go on to become the next stars of The European Tour.
“The Challenge Tour is extremely important in developing the stars of the future and also in giving those established players that have experienced a lean patch a stepping stone back to The European Tour.”
Known as the tour ‘Where Heroes Are Made’, the Challenge Tour has long been a breeding ground for the next generation of golfing stars – something highlighted by the fact that this year’s European Ryder Cup Team contains seven former Challenge Tour players in its ranks – Henrik Stenson, Jamie Donaldson, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Thomas Bjorn, Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher.
The Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf will welcome the top 45 players on the Challenge Tour Rankings following the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic. At the conclusion of play, the top 15 players on the Rankings will receive cards to play on next season’s European Tour.
The season-ending grand finale is the culmination of the 2014 Challenge Tour season which takes in 27 tournaments played across 21 different countries offering a total prize fund of €6,328,000.
Last year’s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club was won by four shots by Shiv Kapur, who earned his European Tour card after leaping from 20th to third in the Challenge Tour Rankings courtesy of the win.
This year sees a €20,000 increase in the prize fund to €350,000, with €60,085 for the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final
Picture caption: Henrik Stenson is presented with the baton for winning the 2013 DP World Tour Championship.
Left to right: Mohammed Sharaf, Henrik Stenson, HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem and George O’Grady.
Top 15 on the European Challenge Tour Rankings as of Monday 22 September after Kazakhstan Open
Pos Player Nat. Eve. €
1 Andrew JOHNSTON ENG 15 181,115
2 Moritz LAMPERT GER 9 133,835
3 Sam HUTSBY ENG 19 122,779
4 Byeong-hun AN KOR 17 117,177
5 Benjamin HEBERT FRA 17 104,870
6 Jordi GARCIA PINTO ESP 15 100,806
7 Mark TULLO CHI 15 79,979
8 Jake ROOS RSA 14 78,508
9 Florian FRITSCH GER 14 73,143
10 Michael LORENZO-VERA FRA 15 72,264
11 Oliver FARR WAL 17 70,514
12 Edouard ESPANA FRA 18 62,761
13 Scott HENRY SCO 13 59,712
14 Lasse JENSEN DEN 16 59,033
15 Antonio HORTAL ESP 15 58,187
