The Challenge Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and Sunshine Tour are for golfers aiming at the major Tours, but what are the mini-Tours a rung below? BRENDAN BARRATT has the list.
There are a lot of very talented golfers desperately trying to make their way to the next level while spending as little cash as possible.
From driving cheap cars long distances between tournaments to sleeping in the front seat or staying in low-budget hotels, carrying their own golf bags and getting by without any real form of income other than prize money, it’s a far cry from the pampered lifestyles of the professionals on the PGA and DP World Tours.
To make matters more challenging, most of the Tours have relatively high entry fees and low purses, meaning that players are living hand to mouth – in the hope they can achieve their one big breakthrough.
Here are some of the mini-Tours that carry the hopes and dreams of golfers who, while relatively unknown, are better than any of us will ever be.
IGT Big Easy Tour
In South Africa, the IGT Big Easy Tour is the official developmental Tour of the Sunshine Tour. Launched in 2010, it offers players a good testing ground against professionals and top amateurs, as well as a direct avenue to the Sunshine Tour, with the top 10 players for the season earning their Tour cards for the following year.
Notable graduates: Daniel van Tonder, Dylan Frittelli, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
PGA EuroPro Tour
Launched in 2002, the EuroPro Tour gives up-and-coming European golfers a platform to showcase their skills and play their way on to the Challenge Tour. It’s also had a few South Africans come through the ranks, including Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Thomas Aiken and Branden Grace.
Notable graduates: Tyrrell Hatton (below), Tommy Fleetwood.
Bushveld Tour
Another local developmental Tour, the Bushveld Tour offers one-day (18-hole) tournaments for amateurs and professionals. Entry fees are in the region of R1 000, meaning players need to realistically finish in the top 10 to cover their costs, which is a pretty solid grounding for life on the bigger Tours.
Notable graduates: Jacques Blaauw
Pro Golf Tour
The Pro Golf Tour is one of four official satellite tours in Europe recognised by the DP World Tour as a gateway to the Challenge Tour, with the top five players at the end of the season earning their Challenge Tour cards. Founded in 1997, the Tour now has 16 tournaments across six countries and a total purse of €500,000.
Notable graduates: Martin Kaymer
Alps Tour
Another satellite Tour that leads to the Challenge Tour, the Alps Tour was launched in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland in 2001. While the countries involved may have changed over the years, the basic premise has not.
Notable graduates: Matt Wallace, Adri Arnaus
PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Mackenzie Tour, Forme Tour
In 2011, the PGA Tour took over the running of the Tour de las Americas, rebranding it as the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. A year later the PGA Tour took the reins of the Canadian Tour and it was renamed the Mackenzie Tour in 2015 as part of a sponsorship agreement. In 2021, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and to support those players who had earned Mackenzie Tour cards but were unable to travel between the US and Canada, the PGA Tour launched the Forme Tour.
Notable PGA Tour Latinoamerica graduates: Harry Higgs (below), Keith Mitchell, Emiliano Grillo
Notable Mackenzie Tour graduates: Tony Finau, Joel Dahmen
Symetra Tour
Formerly known as the LPGA Futures Tour, the Symetra Tour is seen as the official qualifying Tour for the LPGA Tour. With over 20 events and in excess of $3-million in prize money, it is a great breeding ground for the next generation of LPGA stars. To date, 435 LPGA titles have been won by former Symetra Tour players.
Notable graduates: Lorena Ochoa, Inbee Park, Nelly Korda
Let Access Series
Launched in 2010, the Let Access Series is the official developmental Tour to the Ladies European Tour. By 2019 it had built up a head of steam, with 20 events and a total purse of over a million euros, but Covid-19 has taken its toll and the Tour was down to 14 events in 2021.
Notable graduates: Carly Booth, Georgia Hall, Carlota Ciganda
Gateway Tour, All Pro Tour, SwingThought Tour
The US has a number of developmental Tours that rank just below the Korn Ferry Tour. The Gateway Tour, based in Arizona, California and Florida, the All Pro Tour and the SwingThought Tour (formerly known as the Hooters Tour) are three of the most popular, although there are many others.
Notable graduates: Johannes Veerman, Shawn Stefani, MJ Daffue
– This article first appeared in the February 2022 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine. Subscribe here!
