The 1997 European Tour, officially titled the 1997 PGA European Tour, was the 26th season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.
Duration: 23 January 1997 – 2 November 1997
Number of official events: 38
Most wins: Bernhard Langer (Germany) – 4 wins
Order of Merit winner: Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) – £798,947
Golfer of the Year: Colin Montgomerie (Scotland)
Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year: Scott Henderson (Scotland)
Schedule Overview
The season featured 38 official tournaments held across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and the United States. The schedule included four major championships (the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship) and the Volvo PGA Championship as the flagship event. The season also included the Ryder Cup (held at Valderrama, Spain) and several other unofficial events.
Key tournaments and winners:
- Johnnie Walker Classic (Australia) – Ernie Els
- Masters Tournament (USA) – Tiger Woods
- Volvo PGA Championship (England) – Ian Woosnam
- U.S. Open (USA) – Ernie Els
- The Open Championship (Scotland) – Justin Leonard
- PGA Championship (USA) – Davis Love III
- Volvo Masters (Spain) – Lee Westwood
Changes for 1997
The South African Open was added to the schedule, replacing the FNB Players Championship. The Catalan Open, the Austrian Open, and the Scottish Open were discontinued; the Scottish Open was effectively superseded by the Loch Lomond World Invitational.
Order of Merit (Top 5)
| Position | Player | Prize Money (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) | 798,947 |
| 2 | Bernhard Langer (Germany) | 692,398 |
| 3 | Lee Westwood (England) | 588,718 |
| 4 | Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland) | 537,409 |
| 5 | Ian Woosnam (Wales) | 503,562 |
Awards
- Golfer of the Year: Colin Montgomerie
- Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year: Scott Henderson
