In two days, a new era of the Mena Tour begins. The Middle East and North Africa circuit returns after a two-year hiatus under the expert guidance of Keith Waters, who for many years was the head of tournaments at the DP World Tour. It will kick off with the first tournament of the season, the PGA Aroreira Challenge, which will be held from 25 to 27 November in Portugal, south of Lisbon. There will be 13 events with prize funds of $100,000 and a prize of $18,000 for the winner.
The Mena Tour started in 2011 as a mini alternative circuit, primarily in winter, aimed at creating opportunities to compete, especially for those players without main tour cards and who cannot play professional tournaments in their home countries due to a lack of organisation, structure, or weather conditions. It remained on the calendar until 2023. It disappeared shortly after announcing an agreement with LIV Golf. In reality, the Saudi league tried to use the Mena to gain world ranking points. The move backfired, and the agreement was dissolved. In 2024 and 2025, there were no tournaments.
It has now returned with a qualifying school that featured the attractive presence of Chris Wood, a 37-year-old English golfer, winner on the DP World Tour and a member of the European team at the Ryder Cup in 2016. He played only two matches at Hazeltine. He won a foursome with Justin Rose and lost the singles by 1 down against Dustin Johnson. Wood not only played but also won the school authoritatively, held over three rounds at the Troia Golf Course in Portugal. The key to his wide victory was an initial round of 66 strokes. Precisely, that initial -6 was the result with which he won this tournament, with no less than a six-stroke margin over the runner-up.
This Mena Tour school has allowed the top 50 and ties to obtain their cards, including the only Spanish participant, the Andalusian Haiko Dana. Another notable name present at this school was Seve Benson, who also secured playing rights.
The first tournament, as we mentioned, will be played from Tuesday to Thursday next week and will feature three Spaniards: the aforementioned Dana, as well as Juan Salama and Josep María Serra, invited by the circuit. The calendar comprises thirteen events. The first two are in Portugal, followed by a four-week tour in Egypt, playing every three days to reduce costs for the players. There are also tournaments planned in Jordan, Morocco, and two others yet to be confirmed.
The Mena Tour once received world ranking points. It is expected to receive them again from next week, although this is not yet confirmed. A new opportunity to compete for all those who do not have a card on a main tour. It’s about staying active, earning a bit of money, if things go very well of course, and being better prepared for other phases of the season, such as the qualifying schools in Asia, Europe, or the United States.
