RELATED STORIES European Tour increases minimum tournaments European Tour Money List Greg Norman "Earth" course to host Dubai World Championship European Tour announces the richest tournament in golf GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Sweden win World Cup Internationals claim Lexus Cup Pampling wins in a playoff Choi wins Skins Game Amateur: EGU allow range finders GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Huge savings on Festive gifts! A golf break in France - just £89! Half Price Golf Vouchers Take 10 shots off your scores! Best Value Golf Insurance Syndicated Thumbnail Navigation player featuring a selection of clips taken from Golf Bug TV. For use on the Golf Today website. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1175881076http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=495713462

European Tour 2008-09 schedule released

The European Tour’s new look `Race to Dubai’ schedule for 2009 will start next month with the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

Some 53 tournaments will be played in 26 destinations before the $20 million finale, the Dubai World Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from Nov 19-22, 2009.

Five tournaments - the Czech Golf Open, The English Open, the Canal Plus Open, the Volvo World Match Play Championship and The Dubai World Championship - are added to the 2009 schedule on which the New Zealand Open, the BMW Asian Open and the Volvo Masters will not feature.

Two tournaments - the HSBC Champions, which starts on Nov 6, and the UBS Hong Kong Open - will be played twice on the 2009 schedule, then the 2010 season will revert to a calendar year schedule.

George O’Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, said in a statement: “We are excited about the start of the Race to Dubai and the superb quality of the field for the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, with five of the top seven currently active players in the world all entered.

“The 2009 European Tour international schedule confirms how the European Tour has become ever-more global.”

The Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, from Sept 3-6 will again launch the start of the qualifying race for places in the European team for the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Nov 6-9: Champions Tournament, Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai.

20-23: Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.

27-30: Australian Masters, Huntingdale Golf Club, Melbourne.

Dec 11-14: Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek Golf Club, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

18-21: South African Open, Pearl Valley Golf Estate, Paarl, Western Cape.

2009 Jan 8-11: Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

15-18: Abu Dhabi Championship, Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

22-25: Qatar Masters, Doha Golf Club. 29-Feb 1: Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates Golf Club.

5-8: Indian Masters, Delhi Golf Club.

12-15: Malaysian Open, TBA.

19-22: Johnnie Walker Classic, The Vines Resort & Country Club, Perth, Australia.

25-Mar 1: WGC-Accenture Match Play, Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, Marana, U.S.

26-Mar 1: Indonesia Open, New Kuta Golf Club, Bali.

12-15: WGC-CA Championship, Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Doral, Florida.

19-22: Madeira Islands Open, TBA.

26-29: Andalucia Open, TBA.

Apr 2-5: Portugal Open, Oitavos Dunes, Estoril.

9-12: U.S. Masters, Augusta National, Georgia.

16-19: China Open, Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

23-26: Ballantine's Championship, Pinx Golf Club, Jeju Island, South Korea.

30-May 3: Spanish Open, TBA.

7-10: Italian Open, TBA.

14-17: Irish Open, TBA.

21-24: PGA Championship, Wentworth, Surrey, England.

28-31: European Open, TBA.

Jun 4-7: Celtic Manor Wales Open, Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales.

11-14: Austrian Golf Open, Fontana Golf Club, Vienna.

18-21: U.S. Open, Bethpage State Park, Black Course, Farmingdale, New York.

18-21: St Omer Open, St Omer Golf Club, Lumbres, France.

25-28: BMW International Open, Munich Golf Club.

Jul 2-5: French Open, Le Golf National, Paris.

9-12: Scottish Open, Loch Lomond Golf Club, Glasgow.

16-19: British Open, Turnberry, Scotland.

23-26: Scandinavian Masters, Barseback Golf Club, Skane, Sweden.

30-Aug 2: Czech Open, Prosper Golf Resort, Celadna.

6-9: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio.

13-16: U.S. PGA Championship, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota.

13-16: English Open, St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall.

20-23: Dutch Open, Kennemer Golf and Country Club, Zandvoort.

27-30: Johnnie Walker Championship, Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland

Sept 3-6: European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland.

10-13: Mercedes-Benz Championship, Gut Larchenhof, Cologne.

17-20: British Masters, TBA

24-27: Canal Plus Open, TBA

24-27: World Match Play Championship, Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Malaga, Spain.

Oct 1-4: Dunhill Links Championship, St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns Golf clubs, Scotland.

8-11: Madrid Masters, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

8-11: Seve Trophy, TBA

15-18: Portugal Masters, Oceanico Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura.

22-25: Castello Masters, Club de Campo del Mediterraneo, Castellon, Spain.

Nov 5-8: Champions Tournament, Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai.

12-15: Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.

19-22: Dubai World Championship, Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates.

26-29: World Cup, Mission Hills Golf Club, China.

October 7, 2008