PGA Tour announces creation of Latin American tour
Ryan Ballengee, Bleachers Report
On Thursday, the PGA Tour announced the creation of a Latin American tour which will feed the Nationwide Tour. Known as PGA Tour Latinoamerica, the tour will consist of 11 events beginning next year.
“We are delighted to announce the launch of PGA Tour Latinoamérica,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem in a release.
“This expansion into Latin America, when combined with what the Nationwide Tour has been able to accomplish in the region in recent year’s, is part of the natural progression for golf which continues to grow globally. We see this as an opportunity to help in the further development of elite players across the region.
The timing is right, with South America hosting its first ever Olympic Games, which includes golf’s return to the competition for the first time in more than 100 years.”
The schedule will run from September to December, traversing seven countries in the region – Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru. The tour aims to expand to 14 events for 2013.
The tour is the product of a collaboration between the PGA Tour, the preexisting Tour de las Americas, several national golf federations and venue owners. The PGA Tour had been working on the concept for over several years, meanwhile adding tournaments in Latin and South America to the Nationwide Tour schedule.
A to-be-determined number of top money winners on PGA Tour Latinoamerica will gain status on the Nationwide Tour.
Jack Warfield has been named Chief of Operations for PGA Tour Latinoamérica, which will integrate with the staff of Tour de las Americas after a small series of 2012 events to determine priority ranking for the inaugural season of the new tour.