The Golf for the Disabled Tour can help the game become the world’s most inclusive sport, says European Tour group chief executive Keith Pelley.
G4D hosts events for disabled golfers on the same course during the same week as the professional DP World Tour.
It was launched earlier this year and its second season – expanded from seven to eight tournaments – begins in Australia on Friday.
Pelley said the tour was a “major step” to realising their aims on inclusivity.
“I firmly believe golf has the potential to be the most inclusive sport in the world and the G4D Tour is a major step in realising this ambition,” said Pelley, before this week’s Australian All Abilities Championship, which will run alongside the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Events in 2023 will take place in Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sweden, Northern Ireland and England – at the British Masters at The Belfry during the week of the main tour’s flagship PGA Championship at Wentworth – before the season-finale alongside the Race to Dubai climax at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
There will also be an Order of Merit for the first time in 2023, which will recognise the G4D’s top player over the season.
“The G4D Tour has been a tremendous success since it launched earlier this year,” added Pelley, who heads up the group that also oversees Europe’s Challenge Tour, Legends Tour and the Ryder Cup.
“We have seen unprecedented numbers of golfers with a disability enquire about playing on the tour and getting a world ranking, thanks to the ability for these inspirational players to play Tour-level courses next to the best players on the DP World Tour.”
