The Legends Tour returns to Greece after 23 years, for the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy which takes place at Costa Navarino from June 7-9.
The tournament is being financially supported, promoted and staged by the European Tour Group and is set to provide an incredible setting for the first Legends Tour event of the 2024 season to be played in continental Europe.
Costa Navarino, located in Messinia in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese, is part of the European Tour Destinations network. It has raised its profile as a sustainably driven destination in the Mediterranean and offers a world-class golf experience on its four 18-hole signature golf courses.
The Legends Tour event will be played over two of the destination’s courses - The Bay Course for round one on Friday June 7 and then the International Olympic Academy Golf Course for rounds two and three on Saturday June 8 and Sunday June 9. Guests can choose among the destination’s five-star resorts for their stay: The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, W Costa Navarino, Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino.
Ben Cowen, the European Tour Group’s Chief Tournament and Operations Officer, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this new tournament in Greece at two of our European Tour Destination courses, providing further playing and earning opportunities for our Legends Tour members.
“The European Tour Group continues to work closely with Ryan Howsam and the Legends Tour team as part of our joint venture, providing record prize funds in 2024. Following the successful launch of the new season in Barbados last week, we wish our members well in the US Senior PGA Championship later this month, before this event in Greece which will showcase the stunning Costa Navarino destination to a global audience.”
Phil Harrison, Legends Tour CEO, said: “Costa Navarino is an incredible destination and one which we are proud to add onto our schedule with the help of the European Tour Group. The golf courses will provide a great test for our players whilst offering some incredible views as well.
“Many of our members are well aware of all that Costa Navarino has to offer, while for those that haven’t seen it before they can expect something very special, both on the golf courses and away from them too.
“Taking the Legends Tour to Greece further extends our spread across Europe and beyond as a Tour with a global reach. We could not be more excited about this addition to the calendar and our thanks go to the European Tour Group for their financial and staging support which has made this tournament possible.”
David Ashington, General Manager at Costa Navarino Golf, said: “It is a great thrill and honour for Costa Navarino to have the opportunity to become the first venue in Greece to host a major professional golf tournament in 23 years.
“With four signature golf courses combined with four five-star hotels and an extensive array of additional sports and lifestyle facilities as well as authentic, year-round experiences, we can’t wait to showcase everything that we have to offer to the players, their families and tournament guests and a wider global audience.”
The Field
Already entered into the event are three Major Champions as well as eight of the top ten from last season’s Legends Tour Order of Merit. Names will be revealed via the Legends Tour social media accounts shortly to confirm who will be teeing it up in Greece.
The Legends Tour can be found on social media @euLegendsTour and for more information on the Tour and this event, go to legendstour.com
The Bay Course
This 18-hole par-71 seaside course measures 5,614m in length and was designed by legendary golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. It meanders through three natural landscapes – Seaside, Canyon and Grove – providing striking contrasts, and playing alongside the historic bay of Navarino, for a truly memorable golfing experience.
International Olympic Academy Golf Course
Situated at Navarino Hills and offering panoramic views of the historic bay of Navarino, the Ionian Sea and the surrounding countryside, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course measures 6,366m in length. The 18-hole, par-72 hills course has been designed by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend José Marίa Olazábal and challenges the best golfers in a lush environment with dramatic views and memorable sunsets.
The Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy will take place from June 7-9, 2024.
About the Legends Tour
Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Five years after the first edition of The Senior Open, won by Neil Coles in 1987, more than 60 professionals called for a formally structured Tour, which was then created in 1992. Many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s and 90s make up the Legends Tour’s active membership.
In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, which is awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit presented by Rolex each season.
In 2024, the Legends Tour began new ambassador partnerships with former Ryder Cup captains Paul McGinley and Colin Montgomerie.
The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Amand Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at competitive events hosted at world-class golfing destinations.
For more information, please contact press@legendstour.com
About the European Tour group
The European Tour group is the overarching corporate brand which administers: the DP World Tour, the Challenge Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, along with the PGA of America, is the Managing Partner of golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup.
Established in 1972, the European Tour group is committed to ‘Driving Golf Further’ through our guiding principles of being innovative, inclusive and global.
Innovative: We are driving innovation in golf through the creation of award-winning content, pioneering tournament formats and the use of the latest technology and inventive fan engagement. We are committed to attracting new audiences whilst respecting the tradition of our sport.
Inclusive: We are committed to include all who share a love for the game of golf. We are passionate about a closer collaboration with the women’s game, golf for the disabled and promoting the many physical and mental health benefits of playing golf.
Global: Since 1972, players from 38 different countries have won tournaments on our main Tour, while our live broadcast reaches more than 490 million homes in more than 150 countries every week, generating in excess of 2,200 global broadcast hours for each event. We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, BMW, Emirates, Fortinet and Hilton as Official Partners.
The European Tour group has Strategic Alliances with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Those Strategic Alliances, combined with partnerships with the China Golf Association (CGA), Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India, provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group.
We ensure we have a positive long-term impact on the courses, countries and the communities we visit through ‘Golf for Good’, the umbrella name for the European Tour group’s commitment to ‘Driving Golf Further’ in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.
About Costa Navarino
Costa Navarino is a sustainably driven destination in the Mediterranean, located in Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese of Greece. Graced with a breath-taking seaside landscape, this is a region shaped by 4,500 years of history. The Costa Navarino philosophy is driven by a genuine desire to preserve the natural beauty and heritage of Messinia. The destination comprises several distinct sites featuring five-star hotels, luxury private residences, a world-class golf experience, and many year-round activities. Navarino Dunes is home to The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and Costa Navarino Residences. Navarino Bay is the setting for Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, W Costa Navarino and Navarino Agora, a curated marketplace. Both sites have signature golf courses, while at Navarino Hills there are two further signature golf courses.
www.costanavarino.com