2006 Challenge Tour

Last updated

2005 Challenge Tour season
Duration1 December 2005 (2005-12-01) – 22 October 2006 (2006-10-22)
Number of official events31
Most wins Flag of Sweden.svg Johan Axgren (2)
Flag of Germany.svg Martin Kaymer (2)
Flag of France.svg Adrien Mörk (2)
Rankings Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Pilkington
2005
2007

The 2006 Challenge Tour was the 18th season of the Challenge Tour, the official development tour to the European Tour.

Contents

OWGR points increase

In July 2005, the Official World Golf Ranking announced that the minimum points awarded to Challenge Tour events, beginning in 2006, would be increased from 6 to 12. [1]

Schedule

The following table lists official events during the 2006 season. [2]

DateTournamentHost countryPurse
()
Winner [lower-alpha 1] OWGR
points
Other
tours [lower-alpha 2]
Notes
4 Dec Abierto Mexicano Corona MexicoUS$305,000 Flag of Mexico.svg Antonio Maldonado (1)6 TLA
11 Dec Abierto Visa de la República ArgentinaUS$250,000 Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Stadler (n/a)12 TLA New to Challenge Tour
5 Feb Abierto Movistar Guatemala Open GuatemalaUS$150,000 Flag of Argentina.svg Miguel Ángel Carballo (1)12 TLA
12 Feb Kai Fieberg Costa Rica Open Costa RicaUS$125,000 Flag of Sweden.svg Johan Axgren (2)12 TLA
26 Feb Estoril Challenge Portugal120,000 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Kyron Sullivan (1)12
12 Mar Tusker Kenya Open Kenya160,000 Flag of Sweden.svg Johan Axgren (3)12
9 Apr Peugeot Challenge R.C.G. El Prat Spain120,000 Flag of Scotland.svg David Drysdale (2)12
30 Apr Tessali-Metaponto Open di Puglia e Basilicata Italy120,000 Flag of France.svg Anthony Snobeck (1)12
14 May Parco di Monza Challenge Italy130,000 Flag of Spain.svg Álvaro Salto (3)12New tournament
21 May Telenet Trophy Belgium130,000 Flag of Finland.svg Toni Karjalainen (2)12New tournament
28 May Tikida Hotels Agadir Moroccan Classic Morocco130,000 Flag of France.svg Adrien Mörk (1)12
3 Jun Morson International Pro-Am Challenge England£100,000 Flag of Spain.svg Álvaro Quirós (1)12
11 Jun Thomas Bjørn Open Denmark120,000 Flag of England.svg Marcus Higley (1)12
18 Jun Aa St Omer Open France400,000 Flag of Argentina.svg César Monasterio (2)18 EUR
18 Jun Lexus Open Norway120,000 Flag of Sweden.svg Kalle Brink (3)12
25 Jun Credit Suisse Challenge Switzerland140,000 Flag of Spain.svg Francisco Cea (2)12
2 Jul Open Mahou de Madrid Spain120,000 Flag of Spain.svg Juan Parrón (1)12
9 Jul Scottish Challenge Scotland200,000 Flag of England.svg Sam Walker (1)12New tournament
16 Jul Texbond Open Italy120,000 Flag of Spain.svg Carlos del Moral (1)12
23 Jul MAN NÖ Open Austria130,000 Flag of Spain.svg Rafa Cabrera-Bello (1)12New to Challenge Tour
30 Jul Ryder Cup Wales Challenge Wales130,000 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Sion Bebb (1)12
6 Aug Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge Ireland130,000 Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Wade (1)12
13 Aug Vodafone Challenge Germany120,000 Flag of Germany.svg Martin Kaymer (1)12New tournament
20 Aug Rolex Trophy Switzerland200,000 Flag of Sweden.svg Alex Norén (1)12
27 Aug ECCO Tour Championship Denmark130,000 Flag of England.svg James Heath (1)12 NGL New tournament
3 Sep Telia Challenge Waxholm SwedenSKr 1,130,000 Flag of Argentina.svg Rafael Echenique (1)12
17 Sep Open des Volcans – Challenge de France France120,000 Flag of Germany.svg Martin Kaymer (2)12
24 Sep OKI Mahou Challenge de España Spain130,000 Flag of France.svg Adrien Mörk (2)12
1 Oct Kazakhstan Open Kazakhstan300,000 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Pilkington (1)12
8 Oct Golf Open International de Toulouse France120,000 Flag of France.svg Julien Forêt (1)12
22 Oct Apulia San Domenico Grand Final Italy250,000 Flag of England.svg James Hepworth (2)12Tour Championship

Rankings

For full rankings, see 2006 Challenge Tour graduates.

The rankings were based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Euros. [3] [4] The top 20 players on the rankings earned status to play on the 2007 European Tour. [5]

RankPlayerPrize money ()
1 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Pilkington 119,152
2 Flag of Sweden.svg Johan Axgren 105,699
3 Flag of Sweden.svg Alex Norén 99,631
4 Flag of Germany.svg Martin Kaymer 93,321
5 Flag of England.svg James Hepworth 84,236

Notes

  1. The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of Challenge Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for Challenge Tour members. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the Challenge Tour as success at this level usually leads to promotion to the European Tour.
  2. EUR − European Tour; NGL − Nordic Golf League; TLA − Tour de las Américas.

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References

  1. "Official World Golf Ranking Governing Board approves minimum points adjustments". Official World Golf Ranking. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  2. "2006 Tournament schedule". European Tour. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  3. "2006 Rankings". European Tour. Archived from the original on 17 November 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  4. "Hepworth and Pilkington Crowned Challenge Tour Champions at the Grand Final". European Tour. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  5. "Challenge Tour Poised for Nail-Biting Climax". European Tour. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2023. ...where the top 45 players on the Rankings will do battle for the 20 available European Tour cards on offer through the Challenge Tour.