The Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] has launched the ‘CPG International Series,’ an inclusive and innovative schedule of international tournaments in collaboration with its Member Country PGAs.
With a broad spectrum of golf events that cater to professionals and amateurs alike, the Series offers the most varied array of playing and earning opportunities in the world.
The Series is made up of a combined schedule featuring both CPG Championships and Sanctioned Events/Pro-Ams alongside select Member Country PGA events, with a season-long Order of Merit operating across all events leading up to a Series Final.
With events in conjunction with the PGAs of Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Holland, Luxembourg and Poland already confirmed, the Series brings together competitions from across the CPG and its Member Country PGA network.
More events, both in-person and virtual, are set to be added to the schedule soon with many conversations ongoing with Member Countries, promising an exciting and diverse season of golf.
The Series gets underway with The International Pro-Am in Oslo, Norway, in partnership with Golf Traveller, and will be the first opportunity for players to earn points in the Order of Merit that is also being created. Players, both professional and amateur, will accumulate points throughout the season in relevant events with the highest-ranking players – and winners of the individual Series event – each receiving invitations to the Series Final.
Chief Executive of the CPG, Ian Randell, commented, “The CPG International Series is a ground-breaking initiative with a simple concept of collaboration. It underlines our commitment to providing innovative opportunities and adding tangible value for our Member Country PGAs and their activities. We are delighted by the initial enthusiasm for the Series and will be working over the coming weeks to collaborate with more of our Member Country PGAs to add further tournaments to the schedule.”
Managing Director of the PGA of Poland, Angelika Eratowska, said, “The inclusion of our PGA Polska Championship into the International Series was really an easy decision for us. The opportunity to increase the exposure of the event and elevate it is extremely valuable to us for a variety of reasons, but especially as we can add instant and direct benefit to our Members and the various types of players in the event.”
The Series is the first initiative to come forward from the recently formed Business Affairs Advisory Panel which is co-chaired by CPG Board Members, Ken Schofield and Bostjan Primec, and includes other experts from the world of golf and business in the form of Joe Steranka (former CEO of the PGA of America), Luc Opdebeeck (former President of the Board of Governors of the PGA of Belgium with 25 years’ experience in leading multinational technology companies), John Clark (former Managing Director of PING Europe) and staff member, Fredrik Lindgren who enjoyed a successful playing career followed by many years in the commercial team at the European Tour Group.
The Series itself will have a variety of formats and entry eligibility with inclusivity and diversity of tournaments and players encouraged. As a result, Member Country PGAs will enhance tournaments with international exposure, the opportunity to increase event participation, increased visibility for event partners, and additional incentives to players with Order of Merit points and qualification places for the final available, making for a win-win opportunity across various stakeholders.
By creating a platform for international competition with a variety of event types and entry eligibility, the CPG is fostering a spirit of inclusivity and collaboration in golf, inviting a diverse range of players to participate, and providing the opportunity for Member Countries to enhance their tournament activity.