2006 Challenge Tour


The 2006 Challenge Tour was a series of golf tournaments known as the Challenge Tour, the official development tour run by the PGA European Tour. The tour was started as the Satellite Tour in 1986 and was renamed the Challenge Tour ready for the start of the 1990 season.
The Challenge Tour Rankings was won by Wales' Mark Pilkington. Frenchman Adrien Mörk shot the first 59 in the history of the PGA European Tour's three tours at the Moroccan Classic.

Tournament schedule

The table below shows the 2006 Challenge Tour schedule. The season started in December 2005 and comprised 31 tournaments played in Europe, Latin America, East Africa and Central Asia.
The numbers in brackets after winners' names indicate the player's total number of wins on the Challenge Tour including that event.
DateTournamentHost countryWinnerNotes
4 DecAbierto Mexicano CoronaMexico Antonio Maldonado Co-sanctioned with the Tour de las Américas
11 DecAbierto Visa de la RepúblicaArgentina Kevin Stadler Co-sanctioned with the Tour de las Américas
5 FebAbierto Movistar Guatemala OpenGuatemala Miguel Carballo Co-sanctioned with the Tour de las Américas
12 FebKai Fieberg Costa Rica OpenCosta Rica Johan Axgren Co-sanctioned with the Tour de las Américas
26 FebEstoril ChallengePortugal Kyron Sullivan
12 MarTusker Kenya OpenKenya Johan Axgren
9 AprPeugeot Challenge R.C.G. El PratSpain David Drysdale
30 AprTessali Metaponto Open di Puglia e BasilicataItaly Anthony Snobeck
14 MayParco di Monza ChallengeItaly Álvaro Salto
21 MayTelenet TrophyBelgium Toni Karjalainen
28 MayTikida Hotels Agadir Moroccan ClassicMorocco Adrien Mörk
3 JunMorson International Pro-am ChallengeEngland Álvaro Quirós
11 JunThomas Bjørn OpenDenmark Marcus Higley
18 JunAa St Omer OpenFrance César Monasterio Dual-ranking event with European Tour
18 JunLexus OpenNorway Kalle Brink Alternate to the Aa St Omer Open
25 JunCredit Suisse ChallengeSwitzerland Francisco Cea
2 JulOpen Mahou de MadridSpain Juan Parrón
9 JulScottish ChallengeScotland Sam Walker
16 JulTexbond OpenItaly Carlos del Moral
23 JulMAN NÖ OpenAustria Rafael Cabrera-Bello
30 JulRyder Cup Wales ChallengeWales Sion Bebb
6 AugIreland Ryder Cup ChallengeIreland John Wade
13 AugVodafone ChallengeGermany Martin Kaymer
20 AugRolex TrophySwitzerland Alexander Norén
27 AugECCO Tour ChampionshipDenmark James Heath
3 SepTelia Challenge WaxholmSweden Rafael Echenique
17 SepOpen des Volcans - Challenge de FranceFrance Martin Kaymer
24 SepOki Mahou Challenge de EspañaSpain Adrien Mörk
1 OctKazakhstan OpenKazakhstan Mark Pilkington
8 OctGolf Open International de ToulouseFrance Julien Forêt
22 OctApulia San Domenico Grand FinalItaly James Hepworth

Rankings

The top 20 on the Challenge Tour Rankings gained membership of the European Tour for the 2007 season.
PositionPlayerCountryPrize money
1Mark Pilkington119,152
2Johan Axgren105,699
3Alexander Norén99,631
4Martin Kaymer93,321
5James Hepworth84,236
6Kyron Sullivan83,364
7Rafael Echenique82,737
8Juan Parron71,089
9Sam Walker69,853
10Marcus Higley67,851
11Shaun Webster65,536
12Gary Lockerbie64,073
13Rafael Cabrera-Bello62,849
14James Heath60,346
15Gareth Davies60,189
16Lee S. James59,704
17Jean-Baptiste Gonnet59,343
18Álvaro Quirós57,278
19Mads Vibe-Hastrup52,485
20Adrien Mörk52,136