There were major changes for the 2009 season as the tour entered a partnership agreement with Dubai based Leisurecorp.

[3][4] The reduction in prize money, announced in September 2009,[2] was due to the global economic downturn.

In addition, as a result of plans to realign the schedule with the calendar year for 2010, the HSBC Champions, Hong Kong Open and the Australian Masters were held twice during the 2009 season.

In December 2008, the Indian Masters, scheduled for February, was cancelled due to fallout from the 2007–2008 financial crisis,[5] and then in January 2009 it was announced that the revival of the English Open, scheduled for August, would be postponed for at least two years after developers of the St. Mellion International Resort ran into financial difficulties.

[6] In May it was announced that due to lack of sponsorship the British Masters had also been dropped from the schedule, with the Austrian Open being rescheduled from June to take its place on the calendar in September.