What is the Challenge Tour?
The European Challenge Tour was first established in 1989.
The first winner of the Challenge Tour Rankings was England's Neal Briggs.
Since that first season many of the world’s finest players have competed on what is now widely considered to be Europe’s top developmental tour: Thomas Bjørn (1995), Justin Rose (1999), Ian Poulter (1999), Henrik Stenson (2000), Louis Oosthuizen (2003), Tommy Fleetwood (2011) and Brooks Koepka (2013), are all former Challenge Tour players.
The top 20 on the Road to Mallorca at the end of the season all earn promotion to the European Tour.
The winner of the Road to Mallorca Rankings receives a Silver Salver (first awarded in 2009), and Category 13 membership of the European Tour.
The Road to Mallorca is a season-long competition spanning 25 tournaments in 15 countries, which culminates at T-Golf & Country Club on the Balearic island of Mallorca.
First year
1989
First Winner
Neal Briggs
Award
Silver Salver
Road to Mallorca Competition
25 tournaments in 15 countries
Who qualifies for the European Tour?
At the end of each season, the top 20 players on the Road to Mallorca earn promotion to the European Tour.
Players who finish inside the top 45 heading into the final event of the campaign, the Challenge Tour Grand Final, are all capable of reaching the top 20 if they win or finish high in the tournament – which has been the site of many dramatic moments over the years.
If a player wins three Challenge Tour events during a season, they are fast-tracked on to the European Tour immediately, and are fully exempt for the following season.
