The 2005 European Challenge Tour season gets underway this week with three events, jointly sanctioned with the Tour de las Americas, visiting Mexico, Panama and Peru, the first of which will be the 47th Abierto Mexicano de Golf, from November 25-28.
Like The 2005 European Tour International Schedule, the new Challenge Tour season makes an early start, with the $300,000 47th Abierto Mexicano de Golf at the Club de Golf de Hacienda, Mexico City, Mexico, followed in successive weeks by the $200,000 Panasonic Panama Open 2004 at Coronado Beach and Golf Resort, Coronado Beach, Panama, and then the $125,000 Peru Open 2004 at Los Incas Country Club, Lima, Peru.
The prize funds for the 47th Abierto Mexicano de Golf, the Panasonic Panama Open 2004 and the Peru Open 2004 have been significantly increased from the Challenge Tour's previous visits to Central and South America, and offer the Challenge Tour Members a fantastic opportunity to make a solid start to the race for the 2005 Rankings.
This is the third consecutive season that the Challenge Tour has teamed up with the Tour de las Americas at the beginning of the season, and following the success of its last two visits to Central and South America, the Challenge Tour will play at least a further three events in the region at the beginning of 2005.
It was only a few weeks ago that the 2004 season came to a dramatic close, when England’s Lee Slattery overtook Alessandro Tadini in the race to become Challenge Tour Number One at the season ending Bouygues Telecom Grand Final.
Slattery, Tadini and the other 13 Challenge Tour graduates from the class of 2004 will step up to The European Tour and make way for the next generation of Challenge Tour stars to follow their lead to the top.
That group of ambitious golfers is waiting in the wings and the quest for the 15 places on The 2006 European Tour International Schedule offered through the Challenge Tour Rankings begins at the Club de Golf de Hacienda.
The player who wins the 47th Abierto Mexicano de Golf will add their name to an illustrious list of past winners that includes the likes of Americans Fred Funk, Jay Haas and Lee Trevino.
For the members of the Tour de las Americas Members, there is an outstanding opportunity to expand their careers into Europe and follow the successful path trodden by the Argentine pair of Sebastian Fernandez and Cesar Monasterio in recent seasons.
Both Fernandez and Monasterio will tee up at the Club de Golf de Hacienda alongside other past Challenge Tour winners, including six of last year’s champions – Roope Kakko of Finland, South Africa’s Michael Kirk, the English trio of Gareth Davies, Mathew Morris and Edward Rush, and another Argentine in Daniel Vancsik.
Henrique Lavie, Commissioner for the Tour de las Americas said: “For the Tour de las Americas the great experience of joint-sanctioning events with the European Challenge Tour continues. Our TLA players strongly support the relationship between the TLA and the European Challenge Tour, and we consider it a great route for them to attempt to advance to The European Tour, as Cesar Monasterio and Sebastian Fernandez did in the 2003 season.
“Now, as our series of joint-sanctioned tournaments grows to a minimum of six events, we are assured that even more TLA players have that same chance to advance their careers.
“We would like to express our thanks to The European Tour and particularly European Challenge Tour Director, Alain de Soultrait, for providing the opportunity to stage part of their 2005 season together with the TLA.”
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: “We at the European Challenge Tour are delighted to begin the 2005 season with the three co-sanctioned events in Central and South America.
“To be able to play in countries like Mexico, Panama and Peru is very much in keeping with the pioneering spirit of the Challenge Tour and I am sure that these three joint-sanctioned events will ensure that the 2005 season begins in style.
“Now in its third year, the relationship between Challenge Tour and the Tour de las Americas is stronger than ever, and we are delighted to be able to offer our Members the opportunity to play on some great golf courses at a time of the year when golf in Europe is hindered by a harsh winter.”
