What Are All The Professional Golf Tours Around The World?

If we’re going by name recognition alone, the PGA Tour wins hands down. This tournament is one of the most well-known events in the entire sport. The PGA runs all pro golf tournaments throughout the US and North America.

The organization is membership-based, and its members are some of the best golfers in the game. The aim is to expand golf to grow opportunities for domestic and international players. 

The LPGA is similar to the PGA, except that it’s for women. The Ladies Professional Golf Association is one of the leading pro golf organizations in the world for women. The events created, hosted, and operated by the LPGA primarily take place within the United States of America. There are 5 annual major championships, and it too is a membership-based organization. 

Think of the Korn Ferry tour as a pre-PGA tour. Officially it’s known as a developmental tour for pro golfers who’ve yet to be welcomed into the fold that is the exclusive PGA Tour. It’s an organization for those who've not yet qualified or have qualified but have been unsuccessful at earning enough money to stay at the required levels. Whoever lands in the top 25 spots is granted entry into the PGA membership program for the following season.

Similar to how the Korn Ferry is a pre-curser to the PGA, Symetra is the pre-curser to the LPGA. It’s also known as the ‘Road to the LPGA’ and is open to both amateur and professional female golfers. While Korn Ferry allows the top 25 players entry, Symetra only allows the top 10 players on the money list to join the LPGA with full membership come the following season. 

Mackenzie Tour is PGA Tour Canada. This tournament is the leading tour for male pro golfers in the North American country of Canada. Pro golfers from around the world come and participate in this major golfing event. It’s essentially a gateway into the PGA Tour. Players who reach the top 5 in the PGA Tour Canada are awared Korn Ferry Tour Cards. The reason this event is called the Mackenzie Tour is due to Mackenzie Investments' sponsorship of the event. 

The European Tour is organized, owned, and operated by PGA European Tour. This division of PGA hosts pro golfers from all European countries and administers pro golf tournaments. These tournaments offer profitable prizes and the chance at a sustainable income through participation in tournaments. Larger prizes come from the UK, France, Ireland, Germany, and Spain. 

PGA European Tour is a significant stakeholder in several European tours, including PGA of Great Britain and Ireland, Ryder Cup Europe, and more.

Challenge is the PGA Europes version of Korn Ferry. If you have any desire of playing in the PGA European Tour, this is where you start. The top 20 players are granted entry into the PGA European Tour each year for the following season.

The Asian Tour dominates Asia as the men's pro golf tour. Japan is one of the few Asian nations not to be a part of the Asian Tour as they’ve got their own. The goal is simple, and that’s to grow golf's popularity in Asian countries. 

The Asian Tour is a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. This is why they’re considered the pan-Asian pro golf tour in Asia. The following countries are participants:

Hong Kong

Bangladesh

Indonesia

India

Macau

Malaysia

Mauritius

Switzerland

Phillippines

Taiwan

Thailand

Vietnam

There is an Asian Development tour that awards the top five spots in the Asian Tour. Additionally, there’s the Professional Golf Tour of India, which acts as another gateway to the Asian Tour. 

The Japan Golf Tour is Japan’s dominant golf tour for Japanese pro golfers. However, it’s not just Japanese people that participate. Golfers of all nationalities join in and play through the Japan Golf Tour. Run by the Japan Golf Tour Organization, this tour provides the 3rd highest annual prize fund behind only the PGA and European Tour. 

The Japan Challenge Tour is how you can make it up the ranks into the Japan Golf Tour. 

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about golf tours from around the world:

How Many Professional Golf Leagues Exist Around The World?

There are over twenty pro golf tours run each year by the PGA and independent tour organizations. They are responsible for arranging the events, regulating the tours, and finding sponsors. Some of the most famous examples include The Masters, The Open, The Memorial, The Senior Players, The Canadian Open, etc. 

How Many Golfers Are There That Tour?

Several thousand professional golfers are a part of the Professional Golfers’ Association, better known as the PGA. These members' professional duties are all related to the aspect of business in golf. While many of these professional members work in golf management or the business of golf, some are still labeled as a ‘golf pro.’

What Is The Difference Between The PGA & European Tour?

The European Tour remains Europe’s largest pro golf tour, while the PGA is the American equivalent. However, the PGA is more commonly known, has the top players, and is the largest prize of any golf tournament around the world. 

Conclusion

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