ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) -The European Tour will stage a record 53 tournaments in 26 destinations after the 2009 schedule and the inaugural Race to Dubai were launched Monday.
The Race to Dubai starts Nov. 6 at the HSBC Champions at Shanghai, China, and will end at the Dubai World Championship from Nov. 19-22, 2009.
It will offer prize money of US$10 million, with another US$10 million to be split between the top 15 in the final standings for the season.
European Tour chief executive George O'Grady praised the tour's worldwide reach and the introduction of its latest event.
"We are excited about the start of The Race to Dubai, which will bring a new dimension to The European Tour," he said. "The 2009 European Tour International Schedule confirms how The European Tour has become ever-more global in its outlook with 26 destinations now featured and with the Czech Golf Open returning for the first time in 12 years."
The HSBC Champions and UBS Hong Kong Open will each be played twice, while there are five new tournaments. They are the Czech Golf Open, the English Open, the Canal + Open in France, the World Match Play Championship in Spain, and The Dubai World Championship.
The Dubai tournament replaces the Volvo Masters, which will be played for the 21st and last time this year.
The expanded season will enable the European Tour to arrange a calendar-year program in 2010, when the schedule will start with the South African Open on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Pearl Valley Golf Estates in the Western Cape and conclude with The Dubai World Championship.
The European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, from Sept. 3-6 will again be the start of the qualifying race for the European Team for The Ryder Cup in 2010.
Other notable changes for 2009 include the Johnnie Walker Classic returning to The Vines Resort & Country Club in Perth, Western Australia, where it was last played in 2006; the Indonesia Open moving to New Kuta Golf Club in Bali; and the European Open occupying a new date between the BMW PGA Championship and The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Also, the SAS Masters will return to being played after The Open Championship at Barseback Golf & Country Club at Skane, Sweden, where it has been played eight times in the past.
