Definition
The 1973 European Tour was the second season of the European Tour, the principal professional golf circuit for men organized by the PGA European Tour. It comprised a series of officially sanctioned tournaments held across Europe and adjacent regions during the calendar year 1973.
Overview
- Organizer: PGA European Tour (now known as the European Tour).
- Season chronology: The tour followed the inaugural 1972 season and preceded the 1974 season.
- Schedule: The 1973 season featured a schedule of multiple tournaments, including national opens and invitationals, spanning various European countries. The exact number of events and their individual dates vary among sources.
- Order of Merit: The season’s Order of Merit was calculated on the basis of prize money earned by players throughout the official events. Accurate information regarding the final Order of Merit winner is not confirmed by readily accessible authoritative references.
- Prize fund: Prize money for each tournament was denominated in the local currency, commonly British pounds sterling, and aggregated for the Order of Merit.
Etymology/Origin
The term combines the calendar year “1973” with “European Tour,” the latter denoting the organized series of professional golf tournaments administered across Europe by the PGA European Tour. The naming convention follows the standard practice of identifying each season by its year.
Characteristics
- Official events: Tournaments designated by the PGA European Tour as counting toward official statistics, prize money, and Order of Merit points.
- Unofficial events: Certain competitions were staged during the year but were not included in the official schedule; performances in these events did not affect Order of Merit standings.
- Format: Standard stroke‑play competition over 72 holes (four rounds), with occasional variations for specific tournaments.
- Field composition: Predominantly European professional golfers, supplemented by invited players from other regions.
- Sponsorship and media: Events were sponsored by a mixture of national and multinational corporations; coverage was provided by regional broadcasters and print media.
Related Topics
- European Tour (golf) – the overarching professional circuit established in 1972.
- 1972 European Tour – the inaugural season of the tour.
- 1974 European Tour – the subsequent season following 1973.
- Order of Merit (European Tour) – the seasonal ranking based on prize earnings.
- Major championships (golf) – tournaments such as The Open Championship that may have been contested by European Tour members during the same year.
Note: Specific details such as the exact number of tournaments, venues, and the final Order of Merit standings for the 1973 European Tour are not definitively documented in publicly available, verifiable sources; therefore, the entry omits speculative data.