HotelPlanner Tour 2026, UAE steps into the spotlight on the Road to Mallorca

The HotelPlanner Tour has unveiled its 2026 schedule, setting the stage for another highly competitive season on the Road to Mallorca.

Spanning 28 tournaments across 19 countries and three continents, the Tour will once again offer a total prize fund of €9 million, matching last year’s figure and underlining its growing status as one of golf’s most important global pathways.

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The 2026 season also marks the second year of a multi year title partnership with technology company HotelPlanner, as the European Tour group continues to strengthen the Tour’s profile and long term stability.

UAE returns as a key stop

The UAE will once again host two consecutive events in April, reinforcing its central role in the HotelPlanner Tour’s global calendar. The Abu Dhabi Challenge will take place at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club from 16 to 19 April, 2026, followed immediately by the RAKBANK UAE Challenge at Al Zorah Golf and Yacht Club from 23 to 26 April, 2026.

Both tournaments are staged as part of the European Tour group’s long standing partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation, EGF, and will see their prize funds increase by €50,000 to €350,000 each for 2026, a significant boost for players chasing promotion.

Recent history highlights the strength of these UAE events. In 2025, Italy’s Renato Paratore claimed victory in both tournaments, going on to finish fourth in the season long Road to Mallorca Rankings and earning promotion to the DP World Tour after securing three wins.

Meanwhile, the 2024 UAE Challenge, staged at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, was won by Rasmus Neergaard Petersen, Denmark, who has since progressed to gain dual card status on the PGA Tour, a powerful example of the Tour’s proven pathway to the game’s highest levels.

Local and regional interest will again be heightened by the allocation of professional and amateur invitations, continuing the HotelPlanner Tour’s commitment to opportunity and development.

Expanding global footprint

The 2026 schedule will see the Tour return to England for the first time since 2023, with the England Golf Challenge supported by HotelPlanner taking place at The Vale Golf Club in June, followed by the English Challenge at The Caversham in September.

A historic milestone will also be reached as Estonia becomes the 52nd country to host a HotelPlanner Tour event since the Tour’s inception in 1989. The Infortar Estonian Challenge will be held at Estonian Golf and Country Club near Tallinn in July, marking the first new nation added to the schedule since 2020.

The season will once again begin in South Africa for the sixth consecutive year, opening with the SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate and Spa, the first of four co sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour.

Following the UAE swing, the Road to Mallorca heads to Europe in May, beginning with the Italian Challenge Open and launching a demanding run of 19 tournaments in 20 weeks across 16 European countries.

Several familiar favourites return, including the Blot Open de Bretagne, hosted for the 19th time at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André, and the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge, which makes its tenth appearance. New venues also feature prominently, with Isla Canela Links, PGA Aroeira 1 in Lisbon, and a venue switch in Spain adding fresh challenges to the calendar.

All roads lead to Mallorca

The Tour returns to China in October for back to back events, the Hainan Open and the Hangzhou Open, offering players one final chance to secure their place in the season ending finale.

The Rolex Grand Final, supported by The R and A, will once again be staged at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca from 29 October to 1 November, where the leading players on the Rankings will battle for 15 life changing DP World Tour cards, reduced from 20 in 2025.

Graduates will also benefit from the DP World Tour’s Earnings Assurance Programme, guaranteeing $150,000 in minimum earnings for the 2027 season, while the top five will receive support through the John Jacobs Bursary, providing a vital platform for success on golf’s global stage.

Jamie Hodges, HotelPlanner Tour Director, said, “It is a proud moment to unveil our schedule for the 2026 Road to Mallorca. I would like to thank all of our promoters, national Federations, tournament sponsors, host venues, and partner Tours for their commitment to the HotelPlanner Tour. Without their support, the schedule for 2026 wouldn’t be possible.”