The MENA Golf Tour has announced it will return later this year under the leadership of Keith Waters, the former Chief Operating Officer of the DP World Tour, who steps in as the circuit’s new Chairman and Commissioner.
Backed by the Arena Group and a private investor, the relaunched 2025/2026 MENA Golf Tour will stage a 12-event schedule, beginning in Portugal this autumn. A Qualifying School in November, designed for non-exempt players, will open the season.
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Dubai, the MENA Golf Tour (Middle East and North Africa) provides playing opportunities for professionals across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and beyond. The tour gained Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status in 2016, enabling its 54-hole tournaments to award ranking points.
The return of the circuit follows a turbulent period that included suspensions in 2018 and 2020–2021 due to financial pressures and the pandemic. Its last standalone tournament took place in Malaysia in April 2023.
Waters, who retired last year after an 18-year tenure as COO of the European Tour Group, said the relaunch represents a crucial opportunity for emerging professionals.
“I’m delighted to be involved in the relaunch of the MENA Golf Tour,” Waters said. “This Tour has tremendous potential and serves as a crucial pathway for golfers, not just from the Middle East, but internationally.”
The rebooted tour is also in discussions with both the DP World Tour and the HotelPlanner Tour (formerly the European Challenge Tour) to establish new pathways. These could see leading MENA players advance directly to DP World Tour Qualifying School or gain entry into the HotelPlanner Tour.
Each event will offer $100,000 in prize money, with winners earning $18,000. Tournaments will be played over 54 holes with a 36-hole cut to the top 60 and ties.
The tour’s relaunch also comes after a brief and controversial alliance with LIV Golf in 2022, which attempted to secure OWGR points through Asian Tour co-sanctioned invitational events but was ultimately rejected by the ranking body.
With Waters at the helm and new financial backing, the MENA Golf Tour is positioning itself once again as a developmental stepping stone for golfers aiming to progress through Asia and onto global tours.
More details are available at www.menagolftour.com.
