LOOK: DP World Tour announces 2023 schedule, including four-tournament UAE Swing beginning in January

By Matt Smith
The DP World Tour has revealed its 2023 calendar of tournaments, with at least 39 tournaments spanning 26 countries — including a four-tournament swing in the UAE beginning in January, plus the 15th season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 16-19.

Following tournaments across Australia, South Africa and Mauritius (starting with the Joburg Open on November 24), the action will begin in Abu Dhabi with the new match play Hero Cup team competition, where two teams of 10 comprising players from Great Britain & Ireland, and Europe will fight it out for glory at The National Golf Club.

Next up is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at its new home at Yas Links, before the players make the short trip to Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic.

Rounding off the UAE Swing is the $2 million Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Players will compete for a total of $144.2million across the tournaments outside the Majrs and the co-sanctioned WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play — and the top eight-players in the season-long DP World Tour Rankings race will share an increased bonus pool of $6million.

Next year will also see the introduction of the Earnings Assurance Programme, in which players will be guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 if they compete in 15 or more events.

Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “For us to be able to offer our members record prize funds and enhanced earning opportunities is massive, particularly when global economies are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and with the new challenge of rising inflation significantly putting pressure on costs in all facets of our business.

“Our overall prize fund for the 2023 season represents $50 million more than 2021 and also underlines the strength of our partnership with the PGA Tour, who are working with us to drive revenue and a long-term growth plan.

“One of the many benefits we have been able to introduce because of this partnership is the new Earnings Assurance Programme, similar to what they already have on the PGA Tour. I have always believed that it is an incredible accomplishment for any professional golfer to simply gain their playing rights on the DP World Tour and this new initiative recognises and rewards that achievement.

“Although we will never lose the magic of the meritocracy and purity of a performance-based structure, this now offers certainty of income to those players who have made it to the pinnacle of the professional game in Europe.”

Included in prize fund is an increase in the purses for the first four Rolex Series events of 2023. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Desert Classic, Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship all move from $8million in 2022 to $9million next year, ahead of the $10million season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Four new tournaments in Asia are also included on the 2023 schedule, with the Singapore Classic (February 9-12) and Thailand Classic (February 16-19) taking place in consecutive weeks, followed by the Tour’s first trip to Japan for the ISPS Handa Championship (April 20-23) and a return to South Korea for the first time since 2013 (April 27-30).

In Europe, there are dates changes for several tournaments, including the Horizon Irish Open moving to September 7-10, while the Italian Open will take place from May 4-7 ahead of venue Marco Simone Golf & Country Club hosting the 2023 Ryder Cup from September 29-October 1.

There is also a new three-week summer break in the schedule following the 151st Open Championship (July 20-23) which has been introduced following player feedback.

Full schedule

2022

Nov 24-27 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, Royal Queensland GC, Brisbane, Australia
Nov 24-27 Joburg Open, Houghton GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dec 1-4 ISPS Handa Australian Open, Victoria GC & Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia
Dec 1-4 Investec South African Open Championship, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Lanseria, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dec 8-11 Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
Dec 15-18 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand Baie, Mauritius

2023

Jan 13-15 Hero Cup, Abu Dhabi GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan 19-22 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan 26-29 Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE
Feb 2-5 Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Feb 9-12 Singapore Classic, Laguna National Golf Resort Club, Singapore
Feb 16-19 Thailand Classic, Amata Spring CC, Chon Buri, Bangkok, Thailand
Feb 23-26 Hero Indian Open, TBA, India
Mar 2-5 TBC
Mar 9-12 Magical Kenya Open, Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya
Mar 16-19 South African Event, TBA, South Africa
Mar 23-26 Jonsson Workwear Open, The Club at Steyn City, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mar 22-26 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Austin CC, Austin, TX, USA
Apr 6-9 The Masters, Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA, USA
Apr 20-23 ISPS Handa-Championship, PGM Ishioka GC, Omitama, Japan
Apr 27-30 Korean Event, TBA, South Korea
May 4-7 Italian Open, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
May 11-14 Soudal Open, Rinkven International GC, Antwerp, Belgium
May 18-21 US PGA Championship, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY, USA
May 25-28 Dutch Open, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, The Netherlands
Jun 1-4 Porsche European Open, Green Eagle Golf Courses, Hamburg, Germany
Jun 8-11 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, Ullna G&CC, Stockholm, Sweden
Jun 15-18 US Open, The Los Angeles CC, Los Angeles, CA, USA

The US Open. Andrew Redington

Jun 22-25 BMW International Open, Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
Jun 29-Jul 2 Betfred British Masters, The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England
Jul 6-9 Made in HimmerLand, HimmerLand, Farsoe, Denmark
Jul 13-16 Genesis Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland
Jul 13-16 Barbasol Championship, Keene Trace GC, Nicholasville, KY, USA
Jul 20-23 The 151st Open, Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, England
Jul 20-23 Barracuda Championship, Tahoe Mt Club, Truckee, CA, USA
Aug 17-20 ISPS Handa World Invitational, Galgorm Castle & TBC, Co Antrim, N. Ireland
Aug 24-27 D+D Real Czech Masters, Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic
Aug 31-Sep 3 Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
Sep 7-10 Horizon Irish Open, The K Club, Staffan, Kildare, Ireland
Sep 14-17 BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Sep 21-24 Cazoo Open de France, Le Golf National, Paris, France
Sep 29-Oct 1 The Ryder Cup, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
Oct 5-8 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland
Oct 12-15 Acciona Open de España, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Oct 19-22 TBC
Oct 26-29 TBC
Nov 2-5 TBC
Nov 9-12 Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa
Nov 16-19 DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, UAE