With negotiations for some tournaments still going on, the European Tour have released a 2010 schedule only up to The Masters at Augusta in April.

The season will, as in the past few years, actually start this year with two events in South Africa before Christmas.

Two new events for the circuit - the Africa Open in South Africa in January and the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco in March - feature in the first sector.

Tour chief executive George O'Grady said: "We are delighted that, with the support of our partners in Dubai, we can confirm the way forward for the Race to Dubai (the new name for the Order of Merit) prior to the inaugural competition concluding in the United Arab Emirates next month.

"The Race to Dubai has brought a new dimension to our season and we are confident that, by continuing to globalise the game, it will grow in stature with the best golfers in the world being given the opportunity to compete in an exciting and dynamic season-long competition."

With prize money for the coming Dubai World Championship slashed by 25% there had been some speculation that the economic crisis around the world in general and Dubai in particular might see another change.

But Hamza Mustafa, acting managing director of Dubai sponsors Nakheel Leisure, said: "We are committed and proud to take our partnership with the European Tour forward into the new season.

"The inaugural Race to Dubai has been a phenomenal success and I believe we are currently seeing the benefits of the new format with some impressive fields in the latter part of the season as players race to qualify for the Dubai World Championship.

"We have already received more than 56,000 registrations for free tickets to the event and have some exciting plans in store for spectators."

Among the changes expected to be seen when the full schedule is released is a move for the Irish Open, both in date and location.

An announcement is set for this week that the event goes from mid-May - the weather was horrendous this year - to July 30-August 2 and from Baltray on the east coast to Killarney on the west.

European Tour schedule:

2009

December:

10-13 Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek, Malelane, South Africa

17-20 South African Open Championship, Pearl Valley, Paarl, South Africa

2010

January

7-10 Africa Open, East London, South Africa

14-17 Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, South Africa

21-24 Abu Dhabi Championship, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

28-31 Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, Doha, Qatar

February

4-7 Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates Club, United Arab Emirates

11-14 to be confirmed

18- 21 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona

25-28 tbc

March

4-7 tbc

11-14 WGC - CA Championship, Doral, Miami, Florida, USA

18-21 Hassan II Golf Trophy, Royal Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco

25-28 Andalucian Open, Parador de Malaga, Malaga, Spain

April

1-4 Estoril Portuguese Open, venue tbc

8-11 US Masters, Augusta National, Georgia

8-11 Madeira Islands Open BPI-Portugal, Porto Santo, Madeira