1979 European Tour
The 1979 European Tour was a series of golf tournaments that comprised the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) European Tournament Players' Division (ETPD) run "PGA European Golf Tour". It was the first time the circuit carried the "European Tour" name and is officially recognised as the eighth season of the PGA European Tour. Historically, the PGA's Order of Merit only included tournaments in Great Britain and Ireland, but in 1970 events in continental Europe were included for the first time. The circuit and organisation evolved further over the following years, and adopted the title "PGA European Golf  Tour" for the 1979 season. Also for the first time in 1979, players from continental Europe were eligible for the Ryder Cup. The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Sandy Lyle. Changes for 1979. There were several changes from the previous season, with the addition of the Welsh Golf Classic and Lada English Golf Classic. A new team event was also planned for France, replacing the Sumrie Better-Ball, but it was not held. Schedule. The following table lists official events during the 1979 season. The season was made up of 23 tournaments counting for the Order of  Merit, and some non-counting tournaments that later became known as "Approved Special Events". It included the major national opens around Europe, with the other tournaments mostly being held in England, Wales and Scotland. Unofficial events. The following events were sanctioned by the European Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official. Order of Merit. The PGA European Tour's money list was known as the "Order of Merit". It was based on a points system, which meant that some players could finish lower than others despite accumulating more prize money.