MENA Golf Tour Revamp: Empowering Next-Gen Golfers With Player-First Approach Khaleej Times

The MENA Golf Tour, a professional golf circuit based in the Middle East and North Africa, is back, and this time, it's putting players firmly at the centre.

When the region's only OWGR-recognised development 2025/2026 season relaunches in November this year in Portugal, it will do so with a fresh approach: bigger prize purses, a 48-hour payout system, and clear progression routes to elite stages like the HotelPlanner Tour and DP World Tour Qualifying School.

The message is simple: if you're chasing the professional dream, the MENA Tour wants to be your launchpad.

“I'm passionate about creating opportunities for people to achieve their dreams, and that's exactly what the MENA Golf Tour is designed to do,” said principal investor Donna Benton, the Dubai-based entrepreneur who built The Entertainer, a buy-one-get-one-free lifestyle app that grew into a global savings platform.

Benton is no stranger to the world of golf and currently supports DP World Tour player Richard Mansell through sponsorship via the Entertainer.

“Young golfers deserve fair rewards, rapid payouts, and a Tour that genuinely prioritises their success,” she adds.“Coupled with the efficiency and strategic capability of the Middle East as a region, the foundation is in place to build something truly extraordinary.”

The relaunch arrives just as South Africa's Thriston Lawrence, a former MENA Tour regular, lifted his second OMEGA European Masters trophy his fifth DP World Tour win.

“Thriston is the perfect example of what the MENA Golf Tour can do for aspiring professionals,” said Keith Waters, the Tour's new Chairman and Commissioner, who previously served as COO at the DP World Tour.“He gained valuable experience here, took that onto the DP World Tour, and is now a multiple winner at the very highest level. We aim to create more success stories like his.”

12 events, big stakes

The 2025/26 season will feature 12 events across the Middle East and Europe, including a Q-School. Each tournament will carry $100,000 in prize money, be played over 54-hole formats, and offer world ranking points in a bid to strengthen the Tour's role as a critical stepping stone in the global golf ecosystem.

As Benton added,“The Entertainer proved that when you champion accessibility and deliver value, the entire ecosystem thrives. The same principle applies here: put players first, pay them promptly, give them the platform to shine and watch as the sport flourishes throughout this region.”

Full details of venues, dates, and entry will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information or to register interest, visit:

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