The DP World Tour created the Rolex Series in 2017, with the hopes of creating a series of events throughout the year its top-name and top-ranked players would play over the PGA Tour because the purses would be competitive with what's on offer each week in the United States.
In 2025, the Rolex Series looks quite different than when it was introduced, with fewer event and all having a purse of at least $9 million.
The current Rolex Series includes three events in the United Arab Emirates: the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World tour Championship. Additionally, the flagship BMW PGA Championship is in the series, along with the Genesis Scottish Open.
Then-European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley created the Rolex Series, which was a group of eight events throughout the season, all having a purse of $7 million or more. Important to this level of distinction is not only the purse but that the purse is quoted in American dollars, meaning players from the PGA Tour can also easily understand the eye-catching purses.
The Rolex Series ostensibly replaced the Finals Series, which was the European Tour's effort to cap off their Race to Dubai points campaign with a FedEx Cup-like playoff series. The three events which were in the Finals Series when it ended -- the Turkish Airlines Open, the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai -- were integrated into the Rolex Series, with their field sizes intact and purses standing out above the other events in the series.
Most of the Rolex Series events were originally national opens, with the Italian, French, Irish and Scottish Open part of it. The flagship BMW PGA Championship in England is also in the Rolex Series.
2025 DP World Tour Rolex Series tournaments and purses
- Hero Dubai Desert Classic, $9 million
- Genesis Scottish Open, $9 million
- BMW PGA Championship, $9 million
- Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, $9 million
- DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, $10 million
Original European Tour Rolex Series tournaments and purses
- BMW PGA Championship, $7 million
- Italian Open, $7 million
- HNA French Open, $7 million
- Irish Open, $7 million
- Scottish Open, $7 million
- Turkish Airlines Open, $7 million
- Nedbank Golf Challenge, $7.5 million
- DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, $8 million
