Cash boost for European Tour

Posted on 30th June 2015 by Adam Ellis in Golf news | 0 Comments

Wentworth have increased their prize money (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Wentworth have increased their prize money for the BMW PGA Championship (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

New tournaments mean that the European Tour stars are playing for record prize money of 166million euros this season.

Events on this side of the Atlantic have always been seen as poor relations to those on the PGA Tour, with much more prize money on offer in the USA.

While that is still true of individual tournaments, the overall cash on offer in Europe this season has risen by 18.5 per cent – or 26million euros – on last year’s figure.

Seven new events have come on board this year, including the one million euros Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play, the £3million British Masters supported by Sky Sports and the two million euros Porsche European Open.

Prize money for the Tour’s flagship event – the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth – was also increased

Keith Waters, The European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy, said: “It is clear from these positive figures that The European Tour is currently on a very stable footing.

“Our aim is to give all our Members playing opportunities in events around the world, and our robust schedule gives them the chance to do just that.”