Former European Ryder Cup star Chris Wood has taken the next step in rebuilding his career with a wire-to-wire victory at MENA Golf Tour Q-School.
The Englishman, who played in the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine and has three DP World Tour wins, produced rounds of 66, 72 and 72 at Troia Golf Course in Portugal to finish six under for the tournament and secure his card on the developmental circuit for the 2025/26 season.
Chris Wood played for Europe at the 2016 Ryder Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Wood’s achievement comes two years after his return to competitive action following a spell away from the game after suffering from chronic anxiety and burnout.
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Following his victory, Wood alluded to his struggles, saying: “I’ve had enormous challenges mentally over the last few years, so that is the important thing for me, and I’ve got to try and keep it the important thing.
“The first couple of days, I felt like that area of things was outstanding. I’m coming quite a long way mentally, and that’s a massive deal for me.”
Wood suffered a dramatic loss of form beginning in 2019, and, after taking time out from the game in 2023, he made his comeback on the Challenge Tour (now the HotelPlanner Tour) in 2024.
In the 2025 season, Wood again played on the HotelPlanner Tour, albeit with some DP World Tour starts via invitations. A big highlight for Wood came at the DP World Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open, where he placed T7.
However, any hopes he had of making a full-time return to the DP World Tour were dashed when he placed 138th on the HotelPlanner Tour’s Road to Mallorca rankings before missing the cut at DP World Tour Q-School by just one shot two weeks ago.
Chris Wood has three DP World Tour titles, including the 2016 BMW PGA Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Now, thanks to his victory in Portugal, Wood has the guarantee of regular action over the coming months.
The new MENA Golf Tour season begins on November 25th, the day before Wood’s 38th birthday, with the PGA Aroeira Challenge in Portugal. Following that is the Rolear Algarve Classic at Amendoeira, which begins on December 2nd.
The predominantly Middle East and North Africa-based circuit then heads to Egypt for a four-event swing in January and February before the season concludes in late March.
MENA Golf Tour events feature just 54 holes, while tournaments have a guaranteed $100,000 prize fund of which $18,000 goes to the winner, while they also offer world ranking points.
The circuit made headlines in 2022 when it formed a “strategic alliance” with LIV Golf. It was hoped at the time that the deal would see LIV Golf become eligible for world ranking points, although that didn’t come to pass.
The MENA Golf Tour went on hiatus in 2024, before it was announced in August that it would relaunch in 2025.
The tour is reportedly in discussions with the DP World Tour and the HotelPlanner Tour on potential progression opportunities for its best players.
