Staff WriterChris Wood begins his 2026 season at the Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale this week, and for once the story is not simply about a man teeing it up. It is about a former Ryder Cup player, a BMW PGA Championship winner, and a golfer who appears to have rediscovered the point of putting himself through all this delightful torment in the first place.
Golf, as ever, gives nothing away freely. It charges interest. Wood knows that better than most.
The Englishman arrives in Italy back on the HotelPlanner Tour after winning three times on the MENA Tour, a burst of form that secured him the Order of Merit and with it a route onto the Road to Mallorca.
That is not a bad way to rebuild a golfing life. Three wins from six starts is the kind of strike-rate that makes even a driving range bucket look nervous.
Wood Finds His Way Back Through The MENA Tour
Wood’s return to this level has not been dressed up as some glossy reinvention. It sounds far more human than that.
For a player who has already won three times on golf’s global stage, the recent chapter was less about proving he could swing a club and more about proving he still wanted the fight.
“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.
“I really enjoyed it. I played six events and won three, but I just enjoyed the overall feel of the Tour.
“I won the order or 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.”
That is the line that matters. Wanted to play. Not had to play. Not should play. Wanted to play.
In professional golf, that difference is enormous. It is the difference between trudging to the first tee like a man reporting for jury service and walking there with a bit of fizz in the bloodstream.
A Single Shot At Q-School, But No Lost Belief
Wood missed out at Final Stage DP World Tour Q-School last year by one shot, which is golf’s preferred method of reminding people it has the emotional warmth of a wet handshake.
But close calls can tell a player something too. They can show the game is still there, lurking under the surface like a well-struck 4-iron waiting for permission.
“I don’t think you ever lose that winning feeling, or that want to win. It’s very nice to win events at whatever level. You can gain confidence from that,” he added.
“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.”
That is a revealing admission. Plenty of players talk about swing mechanics, ball speed, launch windows and all the other numbers that now march around modern golf like accountants in waterproofs.
Wood is talking about nerve. About managing the space between the ears. About getting across the line when the hands are twitchy and the course suddenly appears to have grown teeth.
HotelPlanner Tour Season Begins In Earnest
The Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale also marks the start of a significant European stretch on the HotelPlanner Tour, with ten straight events following the early-season run through South Africa and India.
For Wood, this is his first appearance at this level since August 2025, but the bigger target is clear. The Road to Mallorca offers 15 DP World Tour cards at the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A, and the 38-year-old now has the chance to map out something he has not previously done: a full campaign on the HotelPlanner Tour.
“I’ve not played a full season on the HotelPlanner Tour before, I’ve played a few events over the last few years because that’s what felt right for me to do,” the 38-year-old 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.
“I feel like I’m in a much better place to come out on tour than I was a few years ago, and I enjoy playing in Italy. I’ve had some nice success in a few Italian opens over the years, felt like I’ve played well, and obviously you can enjoy your time away from the course too.”
There is plenty tucked inside that. The DP World Tour card is the obvious prize, but Wood frames the season as something more personal. This is not merely a points chase. It is a test of whether the work done away from tournament ropes can hold up when scorecards become official and every missed six-footer feels like it has acquired a legal department.
Golf Nazionale Offers A Proper Examination
Golf Nazionale is no decorative Italian postcard with flagsticks. It is a proper championship venue, the kind of course that asks questions in complete sentences.
Italy has often suited Wood, and that matters. Some players travel well in certain places. The light feels right, the turf behaves, the food does not offend the soul, and suddenly golf feels less like punishment.
At the Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale, he will need more than nostalgia. This field has substance.
Road to Mallorca Number Two Will Enefer is in the mix, as is SDC Open winner MJ Viljoen and DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis. That is not a ceremonial gathering. That is a field with ambition, sharp elbows and a shared understanding that 15 DP World Tour cards will not be handed out with the antipasti.
A Strong Field And A Telling First Test
Wood begins his opening round at 13:25 local time on Thursday alongside Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise and Sweden’s Adam Wallin.
It is an intriguing group. Scalise brings home interest. Wallin adds another layer of international HotelPlanner Tour quality. Wood brings the name recognition, the experience, and perhaps most importantly, a renewed appetite for the business.
The Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale will not define his entire season, but it should offer an early clue. Not just about his swing. About his rhythm, his patience, and whether those MENA Tour victories have translated into something more durable.
For Wood, this week is not a comeback wrapped in sentiment. It is a working golfer stepping back into the arena with a clearer head and a season in front of him.
And in this game, that is often the most dangerous kind of player.
