2016 Challenge Tour


The 2016 Challenge Tour was a series of professional golf tournaments collectively known as the Challenge Tour.
The Challenge Tour is Europe's official developmental tour and is organised by the PGA European Tour. It was introduced in 1986 and was originally called the Satellite Tour, before being renamed with its present title in 1990.

Tournament schedule

The 2016 schedule is set out below. The numbers in brackets after winners' names show the player's total number of wins on the Challenge Tour including that event. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the Challenge Tour because success at this level soon leads to promotion to the European Tour.
DatesTournamentHost countryWinnerOWGR
points
Notes
20 MarBarclays Kenya OpenKenya Sebastian Söderberg 12
23 AprRed Sea Egyptian ChallengeEgypt Jordan Smith 12New tournament
1 MayChallenge de MadridSpain Duncan Stewart 12
8 MayTurkish Airlines ChallengeTurkey Clément Sordet 12
15 MayMontecchia OpenItaly Gary King 12
29 MayD+D Real Czech ChallengeCzech Republic Damien Perrier 12
5 JunSwiss ChallengeSwitzerland Alexander Knappe 12
12 JunKPMG TrophyBelgium Simon Forsström 12
19 JunNajeti OpenFrance José-Filipe Lima 12
26 JunSSE Scottish Hydro ChallengeScotland James Heath 12
3 JulMade in Denmark ChallengeDenmark Bernd Ritthammer 12
10 JulD+D Real Slovakia ChallengeSlovakia Espen Kofstad 12
17 JulFred Olsen Challenge de EspañaSpain Adrien Saddier 12
24 JulLe Vaudreuil Golf ChallengeFrance Alexander Björk 12
31 JulTayto Northern Ireland OpenNorthern Ireland Ryan Fox 12
7 AugSwedish ChallengeSweden Joël Stalter 12New tournament
14 AugVierumäki Finnish ChallengeFinland Sam Walker 12
20 AugRolex TrophySwitzerland Dylan Frittelli 12
28 AugBridgestone ChallengeEngland Thomas Detry 12Last played in 2012
4 SepCordon Golf OpenFrance Álvaro Velasco 12
11 SepVolopa Irish ChallengeIreland Bernd Ritthammer 12
2 OctKazakhstan OpenKazakhstan Sam Walker 13
9 OctTerre dei Consoli OpenItaly Johan Edfors 12
16 OctHainan OpenChina Alexander Knappe 13New tournament; reduced to 36 holes
23 OctFoshan OpenChina Marcus Armitage 13
29 OctRas Al Khaimah Golf ChallengeUnited Arab Emirates Jordan Smith 13New tournament
5 NovNBO Golf Classic Grand FinalOman Bernd Ritthammer 17

Rankings

For full rankings, see 2016 Challenge Tour graduates.
RankPlayerCountryPoints
1Jordan Smith209,985
2Bernd Ritthammer189,953
3Alexander Knappe183,500
4Ryan Fox160,768
5Sam Walker158,370