VIRGINIA WATER, England, May 21 (Reuters) - Global ports operator DP World has given the European Tour a boost by extending its sponsorship of the end-of-season $8 million tournament in Dubai for another five years.
The new agreement means the Tour Championship, launched in 2009, will remain on the schedule until at least 2020.
"The support DP World has shown the European Tour has been evident right from the start of the Race to Dubai and the strength of their ongoing commitment is further evidenced with today's announcement," tour chief executive George O'Grady said in a news release on Thursday.
The order of merit was rebranded as the Race to Dubai six years ago.
The top 15 players at the end of the season share a $5 million bonus pool while the European number one pockets $1.25 million.
Swede Henrik Stenson, who won the Tour Championship in 2013 and 2014, will return to the United Arab Emirates to defend his title from Nov. 19-22.
(Writing by Tony Jimenez, editing by Ken Ferris) ((tony.jimenez@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 7933; Reuters Messaging: tony.jimenez@thomsonreuters.net.))
Keywords: GOLF EUROPEAN/DUBAI
