European Tour golfers can look forward to "a momentous season", chief executive George O'Grady said today after unveiling the opening four months of the tour's 2009 international schedule.

The schedule, incorporating 'The Race to Dubai' - the new name for the tour's order of merit - will begin on November 6th 2008 in China, with Shanghai hosting the Champions tournament.

The race will conclude with the top 60 players competing for a $10 million prize fund at the world's richest golf tournament, the Dubai World Championship from November 19th-22nd of the following year.

"We are especially excited as this will launch 'The Race to Dubai' and with it brings a new dimension to our season as all the best players in the world are given the opportunity to compete in the world's richest golf tournament," O'Grady said in a statement.

"With the combined prize funds of the Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship we can look forward to a momentous season, culminating with the prospect of a player standing over a putt for $3.6 million."

No date has been pencilled in yet for the Irish Open, which will again return to Adare Manor in Limerick, and it remains to be seen if the event will benefit from more favourable scheduling.

The current date, between The Players in Sawgrass and the PGA at Wentworth, was described by 2007 winner Padraig Harrington as "not the worst date in the world, but it isn't the best date".

Schedule for first part of the 2009 European Tour season

2008

November:

6th-9th Champions Tournament, Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, China

13th-16th No event scheduled

20th-23rd Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling

27th-30th World Cup, Mission Hills Golf Club, Shenzhen, China

27th-30th Australian Masters, Huntingdale GC, Melbourne

December:

4th-7th No event scheduled

11th-14th Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek, Mpumalanga, South Africa

18th-21st South African Open, Pearl Valley Golf Estates, Paarl, Western Cape

2009

January:

8th-11th Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington GC, South Africa

15th-18th Abu Dhabi Championship, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, United Arab Emirates

22nd-25th Qatar Masters, Doha Golf Course

February:

29th-1st Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates Golf Course, United Arab Emirates

5th-8th Indian Masters, Delhi Golf Club

12th-15th Malaysian Open (venue to be announced)

19th-22th Johnnie Walker Classic, Vines Resort & Country Club, Perth, Western Australia

25th-1st WGC-Accenture Match Play, Gallery Golf Course, Tucson, Arizona