Made in Denmark, one of the most popular tournaments on the European Tour International Schedule, has secured its place on the Race to Dubai until 2023 thanks to a landmark five year deal announced today.
The agreement also sees the tournament’s prize fund rise significantly to €3 million, with the winner next year pocketing €500,000 when the event returns to its spiritual home of Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort in Farsø – the venue for its first four stagings – from August 8-11, 2019.
The announcement was made, appropriately, at Himmerland itself during the final round of the Made in Denmark Challenge presented by Ejner Hessel, a tournament which will also continue on the European Challenge Tour until 2023 under the new agreement.
Flemming Astrup, Made in Denmark promoter, said: “We are extremely happy with this new five-year agreement with the European Tour and our sponsors. This means that our team can work with a long-term strategy and develop Made in Denmark for the joy of the players, spectators and sponsors. With the increased prize fund, I’m sure Made in Denmark will be a tournament that even more top players will elect to play.”
Lars Larsen, Chairman of the Made in Denmark Golf Trust, said: “It has been five fantastic years with Made in Denmark, and I look forward to another five. From the beginning it has been important to me that Made in Denmark received support from various sponsors and partners. With this new agreement I hope to get even more sponsors on board, and together with our existing sponsors will make Made in Denmark even bigger and better.”
Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “Today’s announcement is a tremendous one not only for golf in Denmark but also for the European Tour and the European Challenge Tour. We sincerely thank Lars Larsen and Flemming Astrup for their passion and their commitment in making this happen in relation to both tournaments.
“In both my visits to Made in Denmark I have been incredibly impressed with the electrifying atmosphere both on and off the golf course. Golf tournaments should be festivals of fun and in many ways Made in Denmark is the blueprint for that. We look forward very much to this year’s event and to the next five years.”
Since its debut on the European Tour in 2014, Made in Denmark has produced excitement, colour and passion from the enthusiastic Danish crowds who turn out in their thousands, especially on the famous Himmerland Hill around the 16thgreen of the Backtee Course, which has produced many memorable moments over the years.
In 2017 everyone on ‘The Hill’ donned Thomas Bjørn face masks and welcomed their home hero as he celebrated his 500thEuropean Tour event, while a year earlier over 3000 fans gave the then Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke an incredible welcome with placards reading: ‘I’m with Team Europe.’
The winner that year, Thomas Pieters, used the victory as a platform to make The 2016 Ryder Cup team and this year’s Made in Denmark will once again have special significance for Ryder Cup Captain Bjørn for two reasons; firstly it is being played at his home Silkeborg Club, and secondly it is the final counting event for Ryder Cup points – the eight automatic qualifiers for the 2018 team being confirmed after the last putt drops there on Sunday September 2.
While the 2019 Made in Denmark will take place at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, it has yet to be decided where the tournament will be played in 2020 and beyond. However, it is the plan of the tournament’s promoters that it will rotate between various clubs and courses across the country.
