Wood ready for fresh start on HotelPlanner Tour
Former Ryder Cup player begins full Road to Mallorca campaign in Italy after rebuilding confidence through MENA Tour success
Paju, Korea - Chris Wood says he is in a far better place mentally and emotionally as he prepares to begin his 2026 HotelPlanner Tour season at the Italian Challenge Open in Viterbo.
The former Ryder Cup player and BMW PGA Championship winner tees it up at Golf Nazionale this week after earning promotion to the Road to Mallorca through the MENA Tour Order of Merit, having won three times in six starts.
“I only entered because I needed somewhere to play and wanted to play which is a big difference from the last few years of actually not wanting to play to a degree,” said Wood.
The Englishman admitted the opportunity provided by the MENA Tour helped reignite both his enjoyment of the game and belief in his ability to compete again at a high level.
“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I played six events and won three, but I just enjoyed the overall feel of the Tour.
“I won the order of merit early and knew that I could plan for the rest of the year, so for me it was amazing. I’m proud of myself for going down to play but also grateful to the Tour for the work they put in to create the pathway.”
Wood narrowly missed out on a DP World Tour return at Final Stage Q-School last year, falling short by a single shot, but said recent victories proved he still possesses the mindset needed to win tournaments.
“I don’t think you ever lose that winning feeling, or that want to win,” he said. “It’s very nice to win events at whatever level. You can gain confidence from that.
“I felt at times that my mind got me over the line in those wins more so than my actual game, so I was proud of myself for winning that way as well.”
The Italian Challenge Open marks the start of a long European stretch on the HotelPlanner Tour schedule, with ten consecutive events following the early-season swing through South Africa and India.
Now fully committed to a complete campaign, the 38-year-old hopes to contend for one of the 15 DP World Tour cards available at the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A.
“I’ve not played a full season on the HotelPlanner Tour before,” Wood said. “Hopefully I can plan a full season ahead of me now. I’m fully committed.
“Everyone wants a DP World Tour card but for me it’s about proving to myself that the practice I’m doing at home, the mental work I’ve been doing, I can do in tournament environments now.”
Wood also welcomed a return to Italy, where he has previously enjoyed strong results during his DP World Tour career.
“I feel like I’m in a much better place to come out on tour than I was a few years ago,” he said. “I enjoy playing in Italy. I’ve had some nice success in a few Italian Opens over the years.”
Wood is part of a strong field that includes Road to Mallorca Number Two Will Enefer, SDC Open champion MJ Viljoen and DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis.
The Englishman begins his opening round at 1.25pm local time on Thursday alongside Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise and Sweden’s Adam Wallin.