The European Tour will welcome another new event to its international schedule next month when the NBO Oman Open makes its debut at the Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf in Muscat from February 15-18.

A star-studded line-up including Ryder Cup stars Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood along with former Open Champion Paul Lawrie and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnson will tee it up in Oman next month.

The NBO Oman Open will represent the biggest professional sports event to be hosted in Oman – after five successive European Challenge Tour competitions.

The Sultanate became the key focus of the Challenge Tour schedule with the competition renamed the ‘Road to Oman Rankings’ and the top 45 players earning a spot in the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final where they competed for a chance to win promotion to the European Tour.

Also teeing it up in Muscat will be Jordan Smith. The Englishman topped the Road to Oman Rankings in 2016 before making a lightning start to his European Tour career last year with victory in the Porsche European Open along with a further four top ten finishes.

“I’m excited to be returning to Oman and playing in the NBO Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf next month,” said Smith.

“I have fond memories of Oman and winning the Road to Oman in 2016 and look forward to playing again in Muscat at Al Mouj Golf. It is a challenging golf course and I’m delighted to include Oman and the NBO Oman Open in my 2018 schedule.”

Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia will join Smith in the NBO Oman Open field.

The list of former winners will also include Clement Sordet while Jeunghun Wang and rising star Seungsu Han of Korea add further quality to the high-class international field.