Daniel Gaunt, who is attached to Burhill GC, in Surrey, was second on the 2019 Journey to Jordan, eaning starts on the Asian and Challenge Tours as well as the Dubai Desert Classic.

MENA Tour players will be able to earn invites to play on the Alps Tour in 2020 as well as having the opportunity to earn starts on the European and Asian Tours plus the Challenge Tour.

In addition to the invites to the European Tour’s 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January, which are handed out to the leading two professionals on the 2019 Journey to Jordan Order of Merit – plus the top amateur – there are more incentives for MENA members in the New Year.

On top of a schedule which features 11 tournaments in five countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, there will be an extra place in the 2021 Omega Dubai Desert Classic for the professional finishing third on the 2020 MENA Order of Merit.

The Dubai event is the oldest European Tour event in the Middle East, dating from the early 1990s, in which time the views of the city skyline from the Emirates Course fairways have changed beyond all recognition.

The Journey to Jordan professional winner will also receive an Asian Tour country exemption card for the 2021 season, a full card on the 2020 Alps Tour and three Challenge Tour invites, as well as the Dubai Desert start.

The leading amateur will also receive an Alps Tour exemption for 2020 and at least one start on the European Challenge Tour.

The second-placed professional on the Journey to Jordan gets three starts on the Asian Tour, a full card on the 2020 Alps Tour and an exemption to the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

The third and fourth placed professionals on the Arena sponsored MENA Tour also receive full cards on the Alps Tour and a place in the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

The third-ranked player also gets an Omega Dubai Desert Classic spot and two starts on the Challenge Tour.

The winner of the Ghala Open, which is to be held from February 16-19 at Ghala Golf Club, in Muscat, Oman, will receive a spot at the European Tour’s $1.75 million Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf the following week.

MENA Tour strategic adviser David Spencer said: “One of the biggest objectives for us is to provide our members with pathways to some of the main tours and increase their playing opportunities.

“Our announcement today will definitely excite the players. There are a few more invitations which we will reveal in due course.

“We are thankful to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Asian Tour and our new partners Alps Tour in helping us create these wonderful opportunities for them.”

The MENA Tour was established in the United Arab Emirates in 2011 and has grown over the years to become one of the most exciting development tours in the world.

With a minimum prize fund of $75,000 and Official World Golf Ranking points, it offers excellent growth opportunities for professionals and the top amateurs.

The 2020 season starts with the qualifying school at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, Jordan, from January 20 onwards, when the next generation of MENA Tour players will start their professional careers.

Registration for the qualifying schools are now being accepted online at www.menatour.golf

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This week’s GolfSixes is the most innovative change to the European Tour’s schedule where every shot has a consequence. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

By European Tour Chief Executive KEITH PELLEY
AN interesting discussion developed at our headquarters the other day about whether our current stretch of European Tour events – Made in Denmark, the Belgian Knockout and this week’s GolfSixes Cascais – should form an official Innovation Swing.

It is debate not without merit. The golfing calendar is undoubtedly a crowded one, and with Majors either side of them, these three events each offer an alternative narrative.

Both the Belgian Knockout and GolfSixes appeal to a younger demographic through head-to-head action as well as shorter form golf – nine-hole battles in the former and six-hole contests in the latter – which ensures that each shot has a consequence in the outcome of the match.

GolfSixes also features male and female teams competing against each other, players wearing shorts and using distance measuring devices, as well as a shot clock which gives players a countdown to their stroke.

In contrast, on the surface, Made in Denmark could be viewed simply as ‘another 72-hole strokeplay event.’

But the reality is somewhat different because of the promoters’ unstinting commitment to innovation and originality.

Take the 14th  hole at Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort as an example.

What could easily have been a routine, 262-yard par four was transformed thanks to the introduction of the Heineken Lounge, where players walked from the 13th green through the hospitality area to the 14th tee box which was incorporated into the structure.

The result was a terrific atmosphere for the fans and the creation of some memorable content from many players, most notably Jamie Donaldson and Matthew Southgate.

It also created some clever brand exposure for Heineken.

It was one of a number of concepts introduced which put innovation at the heart of this tournament.

Other activations included the inaugural European eTour Championship – our first esports contest, which tapped into the 15 million plus people globally who play World Golf Tour (WGT) on their mobile devices.

The Made in Denmark’s 14th tee which players – including Lee Westwood (above) approached through a beer tent accompanied by loud music. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Such creativity undoubtedly helped distinguish Made in Denmark from the norm in a congested and competitive golfing landscape.

Last year, across all Tours, there were 395 tournaments globally which counted towards the Official World Golf Ranking.

Of these, 382 were strokeplay events and just 13 were classified as “other formats,” including the Belgian Knockout and the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth, which also features on our Race to Dubai.

While the biggest golfing events, such as the Ryder Cup, the Major Championships and our Rolex Series, continue to get bigger, the battle for regular events to cut through can be more complex and challenging – particularly when you factor in other sports and forms of entertainment which vie for the consumer’s attention.

This weekend, to name but a few, you have the conclusion of the French Open tennis, the start of the women’s football World Cup, the continuation of the Cricket World Cup, the Nations League Football Finals and of course, my personal favourite, the NBA Finals featuring the Toronto Raptors against the Golden State Warriors.

The prolificacy of consumer choice is why innovation is essential. Fail to innovate and you simply risk being left behind or crowded out.

Events such as GolfSixes strive to appeal to a different audience.

Last year’s event at the Centurion Club in England attracted a younger demographic on social media with more than 50 per cent of engagement from under 35s, while attendees were 20 per cent younger than the average age of spectators at regular European Tour events.

Furthermore, in the last two years numerous GolfSixes junior leagues have been launched across the UK and Europe, with girls forming more than 30 per cent of the participants to sign up.

As well as underpinning our creation of GolfSixes, innovation is one of our central pillars.

It drives our content, our use of technology and our introduction of different formats.

In a crowded marketplace, this positioning has resonance with our partners, our broadcasters, but also increasingly with how fans view the European Tour as a brand.

Perhaps the introduction of an official Innovation Swing is a good idea after all?

•What do you think about Keith Pelley’s ideas on an Innovation Swing on the European Tour? Leave your comments.

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