The Road to Mallorca returns to England for the first time since the 2023 season this week as the English Open supported by HotelPlanner takes place at The Vale Golf Club in Worcestershire. Here’s all you need to know…
Back after 24 years
Following a 24-year hiatus the English Open returns to the golfing calendar this week after the DP World Tour and England Golf announced plans to resurrect one of the game’s most historic tournaments. The English Open supported by HotelPlanner will be played on the Road to Mallorca this year and in 2027 before being staged on the DP World Tour in 2028.
The partnership between England Golf and the DP World Tour sees this year’s English Open boast an increased prize fund of £300,000 with 2,000 Road to Mallorca Ranking points up for grabs.
The English Open marks the first of two HotelPlanner Tour events in the country, with the English Trophy taking place at The Caversham in Reading later this year.
Glittering history
The return of the English Open marks the revival of one of golf’s most historic national opens, and is one that boasts an impressive list of past champions. Major Champion Darren Clarke is a three-time winner of the event and was victorious at the last edition back in 2002. The Northern Irishman’s triumph sealed his third English Open title in four years, having first tasted victory in 1999.
Former World Number One Lee Westwood recorded his fourth DP World Tour win at the 1998 English Open and Colin Montgomerie won the 1994 event, marking his sixth triumph on Golf’s Global Tour. Former Masters champion Ian Woosnam was the victor the year prior, finishing ahead of Italian Costantino Rocca at the Forest of Arden.
Bright future
Rising star Barclay Brown is one to watch as he tees it up on home soil this week. The 25-year-old is part of the England Golf Professional Transition Programme and has taken his chance on the Road to Mallorca having started the season playing on the Alps Tour.
The Englishman finished third in his first HotelPlanner Tour outing at the Italian Challenge Open before going on to make the cut at the Challenge de Catalunya and Danish Golf Challenge. In his two most recent outings at the Challenge de España and Swiss Challenge, Brown has finished inside the top 15 on both occasions.
20-year-old Frank Kennedy is another English talent to keep an eye on at The Vale Golf Club. Kennedy first burst onto the scene following his victory at the Euram Bank Open two years ago, but struggled for form last season, ending the year 201st on the Road to Mallorca. The Englishman, however, appears to have turned a corner in 2026 with a tied for third finish at the Challenge de Catalunya and a top 20 at the Challenge de España the highlights. Elsewhere, Charlie Forster tees it up at The Vale midway through his first campaign on the Road to Mallorca having earned HotelPlanner Tour playing privileges via the Global Amateur Pathway Rankings last year. Forster, like Brown, is part of the England Golf Professional Transition Programme. He has endured an up-and-down season so far, missing four of seven cuts, but will be looking to impress on home soil this week.
The Vale Golf Club
The Vale Golf Club makes its debut on the Road to Mallorca this week. The course offers views over the Malvern Hills and is regarded as one of the finest layouts in the Midlands. Over the past six months, 61 bunkers have been added to the course which promise to snaffle any errant shots this week.
For those in attendance at the English Open, The Vale is a haven for local wildlife with deer and a host of birdlife regular visitors to the course. Entry is free for all spectators with complimentary parking available in the club’s overflow car parks. To register for attendance, please click here.
