In what is being seen as a significant milestone for golf, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) has announced that the 54-hole Clutch Pro Tour is now eligible for world ranking points.
The UAE and Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted two Clutch Pro Tour events at Al Hamra Golf Club and Al Zorah Golf Club earlier this year. They were won by Callan Barrow (Eng) and Jack Yule (Eng), who also received EGF invites to the Challenge Tour events at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club respectively.
The Clutch Pro Tour, currently known as the Mizuno Next Gen Series, is a developmental tour series in England that was formed in 2019.
It’s a direct feeder organisation for the Challenge Tour, taking over from the now-extinct PGA EuroPro Tour, and has been working with the OWGR for the last 17 months.
The Clutch Pro Tour is a 54-hole series and has a 36-hole cut at its events providing both a qualifying series into it as well as a pathway for progression onto the Challenge Tour helped gain acceptance to OWGR.
“After a 17-month-long application process, in which the Tour worked continuously toward the standards required to become an OWGR Eligible Golf Tour, the Clutch Pro Tour will become an OWGR Eligible Golf Tour from Week 17, week ending 28th April 2024, and its official Tier 1 tournaments, by OWGR regulations, will be eligible for inclusion in the ranking,’” read an OWGR statement.
“The Clutch Pro Tour provides access to its official tournaments, conducted over 54 holes with a 36-hole cut, via its 2024 qualifying series held in the UAE and, for its 2025 season, an annual open qualifying school,” the statement added
“It also provides local and regional players opportunities, culminating with a no-cut, season-ending Championship. As such, the Clutch Pro Tour is in keeping with long-standing OWGR Eligibility and Format Criteria.
“Its organization has provided the continuation of playing opportunities and pathways for players to progress to the European Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour,” the statement concluded.
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