(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Come February, some of the world's leading names in golfing are expected to tee off at the picturesque Almouj golf course as Muscat will host the prestigious European Tour event for the first time. Muscat was one of the three new destinations announced by the European Touron Fridaywith the US$1.75mn event to be held fromFebruary 15-18.
The other two new events of the Tour that will travel to 30 countries will be in the Philippines (March 15-18) and Belgium (May 17-20). Keith Waters, the European Tour's Chief Operating Officer, told the official website,, 'We are delighted to be able to announce three new events as part of the 2018 European Tour schedule, providing vital playing opportunities for our members.
'It also combines diversity, visiting 30 different countries on the Race to Dubai, and innovation, through varied formats such as the new Belgian Knockout and GolfSixes alongside more traditional strokeplay events, including the eight Rolex Series tournaments each with a minimum prize fund of US$7mn.'
The European Tour is an organisation that organises three leading men's professional golf tour – the elite European Tour, the Senior Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Over the past four years, Oman has been host to the Challenge Tour at the Almouj Golf with the last two years, the season-finale, serving as climax to the 'Race to Oman' series.
With the inclusion of Oman, the European Tour's traditional early-season Desert Swing has now become Desert Swings. The US$1.75mn Oman event for elite players will be played a week proceeding the Qatar Masters in Doha (February 22-25).
The Doha tournament was traditionally sandwiched between the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and US$3mn Omega Dubai Desert Classic but the two events, are now scheduled back-to-back in the UAE fromJanuary 18-21and 25-28 respectively. The 2018 Race to Dubai will again conclude at Jumeirah Golf Estates where the US$8mn DP World Tour Championship will celebrate its tenth anniversary fromNovember 15-18. The Tour will begin later this year with Hong Kong Open fromNovember 23.
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