HotelPlanner Tour Unveils 2026 Schedule with UAE Events
Global Expansion and New Host Nations
The HotelPlanner Tour has announced its schedule for the 2026 Road to Mallorca, highlighting a significant global expansion that includes a return to the United Arab Emirates. This year’s tour features the Abu Dhabi Challenge and the RAKBANK UAE Challenge, set to take place in April as part of a long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation.
Estonia will join the roster as a host nation for the first time, showcasing the Infortar Estonian Challenge at the Estonian Golf & Country Club near Tallinn in July. This addition marks Estonia as the 52nd country to host a HotelPlanner Tour event since its inception in 1989.
Tour Highlights and Prize Fund
The 2026 Road to Mallorca will encompass 19 countries across three continents, maintaining a substantial prize fund of €9 million for the second consecutive year. The schedule includes 28 tournaments, returning to England for the first time since 2023 with two significant events: the England Golf Challenge supported by HotelPlanner in June and the English Challenge at The Caversham in September.
The tour’s season will begin in South Africa for the sixth straight year, featuring the SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa as the first of four co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour.
Noteworthy Venues and Events
Several notable venues have been added to the 2026 schedule. The Challenge de Espana is set to take place at Isla Canela Links for the 27th edition, offering a fresh location for competitors. Another new venue, PGA Aroeira 1 in Lisbon, will host the Open de Portugal.
The tour will culminate in China with back-to-back events in October, including the Hainan Open and the Hangzhou Open. These events will serve as a crucial opportunity for players to secure their spots for the Rolex Grand Final.
Season Finale in Mallorca
The season-ending Rolex Grand Final will be held from October 29 to November 1 at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca. This event is pivotal as the top performers on the tour will compete for one of 15 life-changing DP World Tour cards. Graduates of the HotelPlanner Tour will also become eligible for the Earnings Assurance Programme, ensuring a minimum earning of $150,000 for the 2027 season, provided they participate in 15 or more events.
The top five graduates will benefit from the John Jacobs Bursary, which is designed to support their transition to the 2027 season on Golf’s Global Tour.
Commitment to Emerging Talent
Jamie Hodges, the HotelPlanner Tour Director, expressed pride in unveiling the 2026 schedule, emphasizing its role in providing a substantial platform for emerging golfing talent. “Last year’s graduate class enjoyed four wins on the Race to Dubai, with three players achieving dual membership with the PGA TOUR,” he stated.
He noted that the pathway the HotelPlanner Tour offers continues to prove effective, with graduates demonstrating readiness not only to compete but to secure victories at higher levels, such as the DP World Tour.
Last season, four graduates—John Parry, Kristoffer Reitan, Martin Couvra, and Nicolai von Dellingshausen—achieved notable success in the 2025 Race to Dubai rankings, contributing to a strong overall performance among HotelPlanner Tour participants.
2026 Tour Schedule Overview
The HotelPlanner Tour’s comprehensive schedule is as follows:
- Jan 29 – Feb 1: SDC Open – Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, Limpopo, South Africa
- Feb 5 – 8: CIRCA Cape Town Open – Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
- Feb 12 – 15: NTT DATA Pro-Am – Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa
- Feb 19 – 22: Jonsson Workwear Open – Durban Country Club, Durban, South Africa
- Apr 16 – 19: Abu Dhabi Challenge – Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Apr 23 – 26: RAKBANK UAE Challenge – Al Zorah Golf Club, Ajman, UAE
- May 7 – 10: Italian Challenge Open – TBC, Italy
- May 14 – 17: Challenge de Catalunya – Fontanals Golf Club, Girona, Spain
- May 21 – 24: Danish Golf Challenge – Odense Eventyr Golf, Odense, Denmark
- May 28 – 31: Challenge de España – Isla Canela Links, Huelva, Spain
- Jun 4 – 7: Swiss Challenge – Golf Sempach, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Jun 11 – 14: Interwetten Open – Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club, Oberhaus, Austria
- Jun 18 – 21: England Golf Challenge supported by HotelPlanner – The Vale Golf Club, Worcestershire, England
- Jun 25 – 28: Blot Open de Bretagne – Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France
- Jul 2 – 5: Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge – Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
- Jul 9 – 12: German Challenge powered by VcG – Wittelsbacher Golfclub, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
- Jul 23 – 26: Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge – Kaskáda Golf Resort, Brno, Czech Republic
- Jul 30 – Aug 2: Infortar Estonian Challenge – Estonian Golf & Country Club, Tallinn Jõelähtme, Estonia
- Aug 6 – 9: Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A – SCHLOSS Roxburghe, Heiton by Kelso, Scotland
- Aug 13 – 16: Irish Challenge – Killeen Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland
- Aug 20 – 23: Vierumäki Finnish Challenge supported by Finnish Golf Union – Cooke Course, Vierumäki, Finland
- Aug 27 – 30: Dormy Open by Creekhouse – Kristianstad Golf Club, Åhus, Sweden
- Sep 3 – 6: Rosa Challenge Tour – Rosa Golf Club, Konopiska, Poland
- Sep 10 – 13: English Challenge – The Caversham, Reading, England
- Sep 17 – 20: Open de Portugal PGA – Aroeira 1, Lisbon, Portugal
- Oct 8 – 11: Hainan Open – TBC, Hainan Island, China
- Oct 15 – 18: Hangzhou Open – Hangzhou Westlake Golf Club, Hangzhou, China
- Oct 29 – Nov 1: Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A – Club de Golf Alcanada, Port d’Alcúdia, Mallorca, Spain
Published on 1766094232 • Category:
