After 27 events, the Road to Ras Al Khaimah will reach its final destination next week when the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final begins. To get you up to speed on the season-ending tournament, we answer your most frequently asked questions.
Q. Where is Ras Al Khaimah?
Ras Al Khaimah is located just 45 minutes north of Dubai and has over 7,000 years of fascinating history and culture. The northern-most emirate in the United Arab Emirates, Ras Al Khaimah is home to 64 kilometres of white sand beaches, rich terracotta desert planes and spectacular mountains, including Jebel Jais, the tallest mountain in the UAE.
Q. Where is the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final being played?
The tournament will be contested at Al Hamra Golf Club, which has hosted a Challenge Tour event during the last two seasons. Designed by Peter Harradine and opened in 2008, the 7,325 yard par 72 layout meanders around four lagoons, which merge with the water of the Arabian Gulf. As many traditional courses do, the front nine makes its way out and away from the clubhouse, while the back nine returns home around the lagoon to the clubhouse.
Q. How do you qualify for the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final?
The top 45 players on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah following the conclusion of the Foshan Open are eligible to play in the season-ending event. The Rankings began in March at the first event of the season, the Barclays Kenya Open. This year every player in the top 45 will be in the field.
Q. How many players will earn a European Tour card?
The top 15 players on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah after the Grand Final will earn their European Tour card for the 2019 season in category 14. Any player who has won three times in the season is placed in the higher category 13 for next year. Kim Koivu has already earned this distinction, and with one tournament to go, Rankings leader Joachim B. Hansen, Liam Johnston and Oliver Wilson, all two-time winners this season, still have the chance to earn the three-win promotion into category 13.
Q. What is the pecking order amongst the graduates on the European Tour?
Three-time winners in Category 13 are highest on the entry list, and thus have the best chance of playing their most-preferred schedule. Category 14 will be ordered based on the final Rankings. This is important, as it means even if a player is guaranteed to finish inside the top 15 on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, their play at the Grand Final could make the difference when fields are set for the Rolex Series events in 2019.
Q. What happens if you finish outside the top 15?
The players who finish 16thto 30thon the Road to Ras Al Khaimah will earn European Tour playing privileges for next year in Category 18, which does not guarantee any starts, but usually offers a handful of opportunities to compete against the world’s best. These players will also retain their Challenge Tour playing privileges for 2019.
Q. Does the Road to Ras Al Khaimah winner get anything?
Absolutely. The winner of the season-long Rankings will be awarded a bonus of €30,000. There is also a €20,000 bonus for the player who finishes in second and a €10,000 bonus for the player finishing third. Eight players — Hansen, Victor Perez, Kalle Samooja, Sebastian Soderberg, Jack Singh Brar, Kim Koivu, Stuart Manley and Grant Forrest — all still have a mathematical chance of topping the Road to Ras Al Khaimah. It’s all to play for at the Grand Final!
