2006 Challenge Tour

The 2006 Challenge Tour was the 18th season of the Challenge Tour, the official development tour to the European Tour.

2005 Challenge Tour season
Duration1 December 2005 (2005-12-01) – 22 October 2006 (2006-10-22)
Number of official events31
Most winsSweden Johan Axgren (2)
Germany Martin Kaymer (2)
France Adrien Mörk (2)
RankingsWales Mark Pilkington
← 2005
2007 →

OWGR points increase

In July 2005, the Official World Golf Ranking announced that the minimum points awarded to Challenge Tour events, beginning in 2006, would be increased from 6 to 12.[1]

Schedule

The following table lists official events during the 2006 season.[2]

DateTournamentHost countryPurse
(€)		Winner[lower-alpha 1]OWGR
points		Other
tours[lower-alpha 2]		Notes
4 DecAbierto Mexicano CoronaMexicoUS$305,000Mexico Antonio Maldonado (1)6TLA
11 DecAbierto Visa de la RepúblicaArgentinaUS$250,000United States Kevin Stadler (1)12TLANew to Challenge Tour
5 FebAbierto Movistar Guatemala OpenGuatemalaUS$150,000Argentina Miguel Ángel Carballo (1)12TLA
12 FebKai Fieberg Costa Rica OpenCosta RicaUS$125,000Sweden Johan Axgren (2)12TLA
26 FebEstoril ChallengePortugal120,000Wales Kyron Sullivan (1)12
12 MarTusker Kenya OpenKenya160,000Sweden Johan Axgren (3)12
9 AprPeugeot Challenge R.C.G. El PratSpain120,000Scotland David Drysdale (2)12
30 AprTessali-Metaponto Open di Puglia e BasilicataItaly120,000France Anthony Snobeck (1)12
14 MayParco di Monza ChallengeItaly130,000Spain Álvaro Salto (3)12New tournament
21 MayTelenet TrophyBelgium130,000Finland Toni Karjalainen (2)12New tournament
28 MayTikida Hotels Agadir Moroccan ClassicMorocco130,000France Adrien Mörk (1)12
3 JunMorson International Pro-Am ChallengeEngland£100,000Spain Álvaro Quirós (1)12
11 JunThomas Bjørn OpenDenmark120,000England Marcus Higley (1)12
18 JunAa St Omer OpenFrance400,000Argentina César Monasterio (2)18EUR
18 JunLexus OpenNorway120,000Sweden Kalle Brink (3)12
25 JunCredit Suisse ChallengeSwitzerland140,000Spain Francisco Cea (2)12
2 JulOpen Mahou de MadridSpain120,000Spain Juan Parrón (1)12
9 JulScottish ChallengeScotland200,000England Sam Walker (1)12New tournament
16 JulTexbond OpenItaly120,000Spain Carlos del Moral (1)12
23 JulMAN NÖ OpenAustria130,000Spain Rafa Cabrera-Bello (1)12New to Challenge Tour
30 JulRyder Cup Wales ChallengeWales130,000Wales Sion Bebb (1)12
6 AugIreland Ryder Cup ChallengeIreland130,000Australia John Wade (1)12
13 AugVodafone ChallengeGermany120,000Germany Martin Kaymer (1)12New tournament
20 AugRolex TrophySwitzerland200,000Sweden Alex Norén (1)12
27 AugECCO Tour ChampionshipDenmark130,000England James Heath (1)12NGLNew tournament
3 SepTelia Challenge WaxholmSwedenSKr 1,130,000Argentina Rafael Echenique (1)12
17 SepOpen des Volcans – Challenge de FranceFrance120,000Germany Martin Kaymer (2)12
24 SepOKI Mahou Challenge de EspañaSpain130,000France Adrien Mörk (2)12
1 OctKazakhstan OpenKazakhstan300,000Wales Mark Pilkington (1)12
8 OctGolf Open International de ToulouseFrance120,000France Julien Forêt (1)12
22 OctApulia San Domenico Grand FinalItaly250,000England James Hepworth (2)12Tour Championship

Rankings

For full rankings, see 2006 Challenge Tour graduates.

The rankings were based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Euros.[3][4] The top 20 players on the tour earned status to play on the 2007 European Tour.[5]

RankPlayerPrize money (€)
1Wales Mark Pilkington119,152
2Sweden Johan Axgren105,699
3Sweden Alex Norén99,631
4Germany Martin Kaymer93,321
5England James Hepworth84,236

Notes
  1. The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of Challenge Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for Challenge Tour members. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the Challenge Tour as success at this level usually leads to promotion to the European Tour.
  2. EUR − European Tour; NGL − Nordic Golf League; TLA − Tour de las Américas.

References
  1. "Official World Golf Ranking Governing Board approves minimum points adjustments". Official World Golf Ranking. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  2. "2006 Tournament schedule". European Tour. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  3. "2006 Rankings". European Tour. Archived from the original on 17 November 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  4. "Hepworth and Pilkington Crowned Challenge Tour Champions at the Grand Final". European Tour. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  5. "Challenge Tour Poised for Nail-Biting Climax". European Tour. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2023. ...where the top 45 players on the Rankings will do battle for the 20 available European Tour cards on offer through the Challenge Tour.
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