The 1973 European Tour was the second official season of golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

 tournaments known as the PGA European Tour

PGA European Tour

The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...

 and organised by the Professional Golfers' Association

Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain & Ireland)

The Professional Golfers' Association is the professional body which represents the interests of teaching and club golf professionals in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland...

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The Order of Merit was won by England's Peter Oosterhuis

Peter Oosterhuis

Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...

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Schedule

The table below shows the 1973 European Tour schedule which was made up of 21 tournaments, which included the major national opens around Europe. The other tournaments were mostly held in England, Scotland and Wales. There were three changes from the inaugural season, with the addition of the Portuguese Open

Portuguese Open

The Portuguese Open, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Estoril Open de Portugal, is an annual tournament on men's golf's European Tour. It has been played since 1953, with a few skipped years, and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since 1973...

 and the Scandinavian Enterprise Open

Scandinavian Enterprise Open

The Scandinavian Enterprise Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played in Sweden until 1990, when it had a prize fund of £400,000, which was mid-range for the tour at that time....

, and the loss of the John Player Trophy

John Player Trophy

The John Player Trophy was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played in England. It was only played twice, the first in 1970 at Notts Golf Club in Nottinghamshire, and again in 1972 at Bognor Regis Golf Club in West Sussex.-Winners:...

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Dates	Tournament	Host country	Winner
28–31 Mar	Madrid Open	Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...	German Garrido German Garrido German Garrido is a member of one of Spain's most successful golfing families. His brother Antonio and nephew Ignacio were only the second father-son combination to have played in the Ryder Cup.German Garrido turned professional in 1963...
4–7 Apr	Portuguese Open Portuguese Open The Portuguese Open, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Estoril Open de Portugal, is an annual tournament on men's golf's European Tour. It has been played since 1953, with a few skipped years, and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since 1973...	Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...	Jaime Benito
11–14 Apr	Spanish Open Open de España The Open de España is the national open golf championship of Spain. It was founded in 1912 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the inception of the Tour in 1972. Except for a five year period in the early 1980s, the tournament has been played in April or May. In 2005 it was one...	Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...	Neil Coles Neil Coles Neil Chapman Coles, MBE is an English professional golfer. As of 2005, Coles is only the second man to win a professional golf tournament in six different decades, starting in the 1950s and extending into the 21st century.Coles was born in England...
18–21 Apr	Italian Open Italian Open (golf) The BMW Italian Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is the Italian national open golf championship for men. It was founded in 1925 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's first season in 1972....	Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...	Tony Jacklin Tony Jacklin Anthony Jacklin CBE is an English golfer, who was the most successful British player of his generation. He was also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.-Early life and education:...
25 28 Apr	Piccadilly Medal Piccadilly Medal The Piccadilly Medal was a men's professional golf tournament. It was a European Tour event from 1972 to 1976. It was played in 1962 and from 1964 to 1976. In 1976, the winner received £38,912...	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Peter Oosterhuis Peter Oosterhuis Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...
10–12 May	Penfold Bournemouth Tournament	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Eddie Polland Eddie Polland Edward Polland is a Northern Irish professional golfer.Polland was born in Newcastle, County Down. He turned professional in 1968 and won four times on the European Tour between 1973 and 1980. He played in the Ryder Cup in 1973....
23–26 May	Benson & Hedges Match Play Championship	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Neil Coles Neil Coles Neil Chapman Coles, MBE is an English professional golfer. As of 2005, Coles is only the second man to win a professional golf tournament in six different decades, starting in the 1950s and extending into the 21st century.Coles was born in England...
31 May–3 Jun	French Open Open de France The Open de France is a European Tour golf tournament. Inaugurated in 1906 it is the oldest national open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's inception in 1972....	France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	Peter Oosterhuis Peter Oosterhuis Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...
6–9 Jun	Martini International Martini International The Martini International was a men's professional golf tournament that was held from 1961 to 1983. It was hosted by several different golf clubs in England, Scotland and Wales. It was part of the European Tour's schedule from the tour's first official season in 1972 until the event ceased...	Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...	Maurice Bembridge Maurice Bembridge Maurice Bembridge is an English golfer.Bembridge turned professional at an early age in 1960 and won the British Assistants’ Professional Championship in 1966 and 1967...
21–24 Jun	Carroll's International	Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...	Paddy McGuirk
27–30 Jun	Sunbeam Electric Scottish Open	Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...	Graham Marsh Graham Marsh Graham Vivian Marsh MBE was one of the leading Australian professional golfers of his generation.-Career outline:Marsh was born in Kalgoorlie, Australia...
11–14 Jul	The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...	Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...	Tom Weiskopf Tom Weiskopf Thomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
19–22 Jul	Scandinavian Enterprise Open Scandinavian Enterprise Open The Scandinavian Enterprise Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played in Sweden until 1990, when it had a prize fund of £400,000, which was mid-range for the tour at that time....	Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....	Bob Charles Bob Charles (golfer) Sir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
26–29 Jul	Swiss Open	Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	Hugh Baiocchi Hugh Baiocchi Hugh John Baiocchi is a South African professional golfer who has won more than twenty professional tournaments around the world....
2 5 Aug	German Open German Open (golf) The German Open was a men's golf tournament. It was first staged in 1911 when the winner was Harry Vardon. The following year the champion was another of the Great Triumvirate of late 19th and early 20th century British golfers, John Henry Taylor. The tournament was then cancelled for over a decade...	West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....	Francisco Abreu Francisco Abreu Francisco Abreu is a Spanish professional golfer.Abreu turned professional in 1968 and played on the European Tour from its first official season in 1972 until 1980. He won the 1973 German Open and the 1976 Madrid Open. His best Order of Merit finish of ninth came in 1977...
8–12 Aug	Dutch Open	Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...	Doug McClelland
15–18 Aug	Benson & Hedges Festival	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Vin Baker
22–25 Aug	Viyella PGA Championship	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Peter Oosterhuis Peter Oosterhuis Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...
5–8 Sept	W.D. & H.O. Wills Tournament W.D. & H.O. Wills Tournament The W.D. & H.O. Wills Tournament was a golf tournament on the European circuit/European Tour from 1968 to 1974. The sponsor was tobacco company W.D. & H.O. Wills.-Winners:-External links:**...	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Charles Coody Charles Coody Billy Charles Coody is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament.Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas...
26–29 Sept	John Player Classic John Player Classic The John Player Classic was the richest golf tournament in Britain between 1970 and 1973. In 1972 and 1973 it was an event on the fledgling PGA European Tour....	Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...	Charles Coody Charles Coody Billy Charles Coody is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament.Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas...
3–6 Oct	Dunlop Masters	Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...	Tony Jacklin Tony Jacklin Anthony Jacklin CBE is an English golfer, who was the most successful British player of his generation. He was also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.-Early life and education:...

Order of Merit

The PGA European Tour's money list was known as the "Order of Merit". It was based on a points system, which meant that some players could finish lower than others despite accumulating more prize money.

Position	Player	Country	Prize money (£ Pound sterling The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence... )
1	Peter Oosterhuis Peter Oosterhuis Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...		17,455
2	Maurice Bembridge Maurice Bembridge Maurice Bembridge is an English golfer.Bembridge turned professional at an early age in 1960 and won the British Assistants’ Professional Championship in 1966 and 1967...		10,773
3	Hugh Baiocchi Hugh Baiocchi Hugh John Baiocchi is a South African professional golfer who has won more than twenty professional tournaments around the world....	South Africa	11,870
4	Dale Hayes Dale Hayes Dale Hayes is a South African professional golfer.-Career outline:Hayes won the 15–17 Boys category at the Junior World Golf Championships in 1969. He turned professional the following year and quickly became a successful pro. He won more than a dozen events in South Africa, and was runner up on...	South Africa	10,188
5	Brian Barnes Brian Barnes (golfer) Brian Barnes is a professional golfer. He was born in Addington, Surrey, England, and lives in England, but he represented Scotland at the international level...		9,778
6	Eddie Polland Eddie Polland Edward Polland is a Northern Irish professional golfer.Polland was born in Newcastle, County Down. He turned professional in 1968 and won four times on the European Tour between 1973 and 1980. He played in the Ryder Cup in 1973....		8,146
7	Tony Jacklin Tony Jacklin Anthony Jacklin CBE is an English golfer, who was the most successful British player of his generation. He was also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.-Early life and education:...		24,840
8	Bernard Gallacher Bernard Gallacher Bernard Gallacher, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer.Gallacher was born in Bathgate, Scotland. He took up golf at the age of eleven. In 1965 he won the Lothians Golf Assocation Boys Championship. He won the 1967 Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship and turned professional the same...		8,676
9	Neil Coles Neil Coles Neil Chapman Coles, MBE is an English professional golfer. As of 2005, Coles is only the second man to win a professional golf tournament in six different decades, starting in the 1950s and extending into the 21st century.Coles was born in England...		14,748
10	Jack Newton Jack Newton Jack Newton OAM is a former Australian professional golfer.-Golf career:Newton was born in Cessnock, New South Wales. He was one of Australia's most successful golfers in the 1970s and early 1980s. He turned professional in 1971 and won his first professional tournament – the Dutch Open...		7,939

External links

• 1973 season results on the PGA European Tour website
• 1973 Order of Merit on the PGA European Tour website