MENA Golf tour launches US qualifying school at World Golf Village

The MENA Golf Tour has announced the launch of its first-ever US Qualifying School, to be staged at the acclaimed Slammer & Squire course at World Golf Village in Florida from October 13 to 15.

It's a landmark step in the Tour's global expansion and a clear signal of intent that the MENA Golf Tour is coming back stronger than ever for the 2026/27 season.

The move marks the most significant international development in the Tour's history.

Despite the regional challenges that cut the 2025/26 season short, the MENA Golf Tour has used the period to accelerate its growth plans, with the US Q School laying the groundwork for a potential American swing of events in future seasons – putting the region, and the players who call it home, on the world stage.

A Bobby Weed design crafted with input from golf legends Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen, Slammer & Squire stretches to 6,939 yards and is ranked among the finest courses in the United States – named one of the top 20 you can play in Florida by SwingU Clubhouse in 2024, and featured across Golf Pass's 2023 Golfers' Choice rankings as second in the US for course conditions, 24th for layout, and 18th in Florida overall.

"The last few months have tested everyone involved with this Tour, but they have also confirmed exactly what the MENA Golf Tour is capable of. We are not just coming back – we are coming back bigger, bolder and more ambitious than at any point in our history," said Keith Waters, Chairman and Commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour.

"A US Qualifying School at a venue of World Golf Village's stature tells you everything about where this Tour is heading. It puts our region on the world stage, it opens our doors to a whole new pool of talent, and it creates the platform for an eventual US swing of MENA Golf Tour events," he added.

Brendon Williams, Co-Owner of US promotor GSM International, said: "The natural next step is a US swing of MENA Golf Tour events, and this is the platform that makes that conversation possible. World Golf Village is the perfect home for it – a venue with real history, a course players are going to love, and a setup that does justice to what the MENA Golf Tour is all about."

The top 10 finishers from the US Q School will earn Category 4 status, guaranteeing their place in every MENA Golf Tour event in 2026/27.

Players finishing 11th through 20th will secure Category 11 status, providing access to multiple tournaments across the season subject to take-up from higher categories.

Ties through 20th place will all be included in Category 11, meaning the final number of cards awarded could rise further. Ties through 10th place will be separated by final round scores.

Successful graduates will join a 2026/27 schedule featuring 12 guaranteed events, with prize funds ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 per tournament. The top 60 players and ties will be paid at every event.

The MENA Golf Tour offers a proven route to the HotelPlanner Tour.

2025/26 Order of Merit champion Chris Wood sealed his HotelPlanner Tour card with 59,320 points from eight events, then won his first start of the season at the Italian Challenge Open in May.

Leading players on the 2025/26 Order of Merit also gained several invitations to HotelPlanner Tour events.

With a US Qualifying School now in place, a clear route through to the DP World Tour, and further expansion in the pipeline, the MENA Golf Tour enters 2026/27 in the strongest position of its history.

Further announcements regarding the 2026/27 schedule, venues and commercial partnerships are expected in the coming weeks.