# 2018 European Tour

The 2018 European Tour was the 47th season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.

## Changes for 2018

There were changes to membership criteria with the reversal of some of the changes introduced for the 2017 season; the number of players gaining exemption from the final Race to Dubai standings reverted to the top 110 and the Access List was scrapped, largely replaced by a re-ranking system.
The Race to Dubai points system was adjusted, with all prize money being converted into U.S. dollars before translating into points (1 point = 1 dollar) having previously been calculated after converting into euro. The points for all tournaments were also fixed prior to the start of the season, having previously been set during each tournament week, thereby negating any fluctuation in exchange rates.

### Tournament changes

* New tournaments: Oman Open.
* Returning tournaments (not part of the 2017 season): Open de España, AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open (missing from the 2017 schedule due to date change), Belgian Knockout (formerly the Belgian Open).
* No longer part of the schedule: Alfred Dunhill Championship (not held due to course renovations; returned for the 2019 season), Open de Portugal (dropped down to the Challenge Tour), Shenzhen International, Paul Lawrie Matchplay.
* Format change: the Lyoness Open (Austrian Open) became the Shot Clock Masters, with all shots subject to a strict time limit before incurring penalty strokes.

## Schedule

The following table lists official events during the 2018 season.
| Date | Tournament | Host country | Purse | Winner | OWGR points | Other tours | Notes |
| 26 Nov | UBS Hong Kong Open | Hong Kong | US$2,000,000 | Wade Ormsby (1) | 34 | ASA | |
| 3 Dec | Australian PGA Championship | Australia | A$1,500,000 | Cameron Smith (n/a) | 23 | ANZ | |
| 3 Dec | AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open | Mauritius | €1,000,000 | Dylan Frittelli (2) | 17 | AFR, ASA | |
| 11 Dec | Joburg Open | South Africa | R16,500,000 | Shubhankar Sharma (1) | 17 | AFR, ASA | |
| 14 Jan | BMW SA Open | South Africa | R15,000,000 | Chris Paisley (1) | 32 | AFR | |
| 21 Jan | Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship | UAE | US$3,000,000 | Tommy Fleetwood (4) | 52 | | |
| 28 Jan | Omega Dubai Desert Classic | UAE | US$3,000,000 | Li Haotong (2) | 48 | | |
| 4 Feb | Maybank Championship | Malaysia | US$3,000,000 | Shubhankar Sharma (2) | 38 | ASA | |
| 11 Feb | ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth | Australia | A$1,750,000 | Kiradech Aphibarnrat (4) | 23 | ANZ, ASA | |
| 18 Feb | NBO Oman Open | Oman | US$1,750,000 | Joost Luiten (6) | 24 | | New tournament |
| 25 Feb | Commercial Bank Qatar Masters | Qatar | US$1,750,000 | Eddie Pepperell (1) | 24 | | |
| 4 Mar | WGC-Mexico Championship | Mexico | US$10,000,000 | Phil Mickelson (n/a) | 72 | | World Golf Championship |
| 4 Mar | Tshwane Open | South Africa | R15,000,000 | George Coetzee (4) | 19 | AFR | |
| 11 Mar | Hero Indian Open | India | US$1,750,000 | Matt Wallace (2) | 22 | ASA | |
| 25 Mar | WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play | United States | US$10,000,000 | Bubba Watson (n/a) | 74 | | World Golf Championship |
| 8 Apr | Masters Tournament | United States | US$11,000,000 | Patrick Reed (2) | 100 | | Major championship |
| 15 Apr | Open de España | Spain | €1,500,000 | Jon Rahm (3) | 26 | | |
| 22 Apr | Trophée Hassan II | Morocco | €2,500,000 | Alexander Lévy (5) | 24 | | |
| 29 Apr | Volvo China Open | China | CN¥20,000,000 | Alexander Björk (1) | 32 | ASA | |
| 13 May | Rocco Forte Sicilian Open | Italy | €1,000,000 | Joakim Lagergren (1) | 24 | | |
| 20 May | Belgian Knockout | Belgium | €1,000,000 | Adrián Otaegui (2) | 24 | | |
| 27 May | BMW PGA Championship | England | US$7,000,000 | Francesco Molinari (5) | 64 | | Flagship event |
| 3 Jun | Italian Open | Italy | US$7,000,000 | Thorbjørn Olesen (5) | 38 | | Rolex Series |
| 10 Jun | Shot Clock Masters | Austria | €1,000,000 | Mikko Korhonen (1) | 24 | | |
| 17 Jun | U.S. Open | United States | US$12,000,000 | Brooks Koepka (3) | 100 | | Major championship |
| 24 Jun | BMW International Open | Germany | €2,000,000 | Matt Wallace (3) | 24 | | |
| 1 Jul | HNA Open de France | France | US$7,000,000 | Alex Norén (10) | 48 | | Rolex Series |
| 8 Jul | Dubai Duty Free Irish Open | Ireland | US$7,000,000 | Russell Knox (2) | 38 | | Rolex Series |
| 15 Jul | Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open | Scotland | US$7,000,000 | Brandon Stone (3) | 48 | | Rolex Series |
| 22 Jul | The Open Championship | Scotland | US$10,500,000 | Francesco Molinari (6) | 100 | | Major championship |
| 29 Jul | Porsche European Open | Germany | €2,000,000 | Richard McEvoy (1) | 24 | | |
| 5 Aug | Fiji International | Fiji | A$1,250,000 | Gaganjeet Bhullar (1) | 15 | ANZ, ASA | |
| 5 Aug | WGC-Bridgestone Invitational | United States | US$10,000,000 | Justin Thomas (2) | 74 | | World Golf Championship |
| 12 Aug | PGA Championship | United States | US$10,500,000 | Brooks Koepka (4) | 100 | | Major championship |
| 19 Aug | Nordea Masters | Sweden | €1,500,000 | Paul Waring (1) | 24 | | |
| 26 Aug | D+D Real Czech Masters | Czech Republic | €1,000,000 | Andrea Pavan (1) | 24 | | |
| 2 Sep | Made in Denmark | Denmark | €1,500,000 | Matt Wallace (4) | 24 | | |
| 9 Sep | Omega European Masters | Switzerland | €2,500,000 | Matt Fitzpatrick (5) | 26 | | |
| 16 Sep | KLM Open | Netherlands | €1,800,000 | Wu Ashun (3) | 24 | | |
| 23 Sep | Portugal Masters | Portugal | €2,000,000 | Tom Lewis (2) | 24 | | |
| 7 Oct | Alfred Dunhill Links Championship | Scotland | US$5,000,000 | Lucas Bjerregaard (2) | 38 | | Pro-Am |
| 14 Oct | Sky Sports British Masters | England | £3,000,000 | Eddie Pepperell (2) | 38 | | |
| 22 Oct | Andalucía Valderrama Masters | Spain | €2,000,000 | Sergio García (15) | 24 | | |
| 28 Oct | WGC-HSBC Champions | China | US$10,000,000 | Xander Schauffele (1) | 66 | | World Golf Championship |
| 4 Nov | Turkish Airlines Open | Turkey | US$7,000,000 | Justin Rose (11) | 36 | | Rolex Series Limited-field event |
| 11 Nov | Nedbank Golf Challenge | South Africa | US$7,500,000 | Lee Westwood (24) | 34 | | Rolex Series Limited-field event |
| 18 Nov | DP World Tour Championship, Dubai | UAE | US$8,000,000 | Danny Willett (6) | 52 | | Tour Championship |

### Unofficial events

The following events were sanctioned by the European Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.
| Date | Tournament | Host country | Purse | Winners | OWGR points | Notes |
| 14 Jan | EurAsia Cup | Malaysia | n/a | Team Europe | n/a | Team event |
| 6 May | GolfSixes | England | €1,000,000 | Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan | n/a | Team event |
| 12 Aug | European Golf Team Championships | Scotland | €550,000 | Scott Fernández and Pedro Oriol (Men) | n/a | Team event |
| 12 Aug | European Golf Team Championships | Scotland | €550,000 | Cajsa Persson and Linda Wessberg (Women) | n/a | Team event |
| 12 Aug | European Golf Team Championships | Scotland | €550,000 | Iceland (Team) | n/a | Team event |
| 30 Sep | Ryder Cup | France | n/a | Team Europe | n/a | Team event |
| 25 Nov | ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf | Australia | US$7,000,000 | Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters | n/a | Team event |

## Race to Dubai

The Race to Dubai was based on tournament results during the season, calculated using a points-based system.
| Pos. | Player | Majors | Majors | Majors | Majors | WGCs | WGCs | WGCs | WGCs | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Rolex Series | Top 10s in other ET events | Top 10s in other ET events | Top 10s in other ET events | Top 10s in other ET events | Top 10s in other ET events | Tmts | Points and money | Points and money | Points and money |
| Pos. | Player | Mas | USO | Opn | PGA | WGC Mex | WGC MP | WGC Inv | WGC Cha | BMW PGA | Ita | Fra | Ire | Sco | Tur | Ned | DPW TC | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Tmts | Reg. points | Bon. ($) | Total points |
| 1 | Molinari | T20 | T25 | 1st | T6 | T25 | 17th | T39 | T43 | 1st | 2nd | • | • | • | • | • | T26 | | | | | | 12 | 4,791,521 | 1,250,000 | 6,041,521 |
| 2 | Reed | 1st | 4th | T28 | CUT | T37 | T9 | T28 | T7 | • | • | • | • | T23 | • | • | T2 | T9 | | | | | 11 | 3,963,351 | 750,000 | 4,713,351 |
| 3 | Fleetwood | T17 | 2nd | T12 | T35 | T14 | T17 | T14 | T7 | T20 | T23 | CUT | • | • | T7 | • | T16 | 6th | 1st | T6 | T2 | T9 | 19 | 3,799,755 | 600,000 | 4,399,755 |
| 4 | Schauffele | T50 | T6 | T2 | T35 | T18 | T17 | 68th | 1st | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | T16 | | | | | | 9 | 3,207,488 | 400,000 | 3,607,488 |
| 5 | Rose | T12 | T10 | T2 | T19 | T37 | • | • | T3 | • | • | • | • | T9 | 1st | • | • | T10 | 8th | | | | 11 | 3,431,616 | 500,000 | 3,431,616 |
| 6 | Norén | CUT | T25 | T17 | CUT | T14 | 3rd | T31 | T18 | T3 | T23 | 1st | • | • | • | • | T9 | | | | | | 12 | 3,001,488 | 350,000 | 3,351,488 |
| 7 | McIlroy | T5 | CUT | T2 | T50 | • | T36 | T6 | T54 | T2 | • | • | T28 | • | • | T21 | T20 | T3 | 2nd | | | | 13 | 2,990,654 | 325,000 | 3,315,654 |
| 8 | Olesen | • | CUT | T12 | T56 | • | • | T3 | T7 | T60 | 1st | CUT | T6 | • | T7 | • | T45 | 10th | T2 | 4th | | | 27 | 2,923,149 | 300,000 | 3,223,149 |
| 9 | Li | T32 | T16 | T39 | WD | 63rd | T59 | T39 | T11 | T43 | T19 | T21 | CUT | T23 | 2nd | T5 | T30 | 1st | T5 | T9 | | | 27 | 2,843,291 | 275,000 | 3,118,291 |
| 10 | Wallace | • | CUT | CUT | • | • | • | • | T50 | T20 | T51 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T47 | T5 | T2 | 1st | T3 | 1st | 1st | | 32 | 2,637,527 | 250,000 | 2,887,527 |

## Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Golfer of the Year | Francesco Molinari |
| Players' Player of the Year (Seve Ballesteros Award) | Francesco Molinari |
| Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year | Shubhankar Sharma |
| Graduate of the Year | Erik van Rooyen |