New PGA TOUR schedule presents opportunities and challenges for DP World Tour

Wednesday was viewed as being an important day for the future of the PGA TOUR as CEO Brian Rolapp announced the first details of the vision for a new PGA TOUR, and whilst it was far from confirmation of what will eventually transpire it does set in motion a path towards significant changes to men's professional golf. "The PGA TOUR is looking at a schedule from late-January to early-September, with roughly 21 to 26 events on a first track of elevated events which would include the majors, THE PLAYERS Championship and the postseason" Rolapp said to the assembled media, players, guests and stakeholders at TPC Sawgrass.

If, as expected, the PGA TOUR season is to start in the week between the NFL Conference Championships and the Super Bowl, that presents a fantastic opportunity for the DP World Tour to grow the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The event, played at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, has always attracted a smattering of the world's top golfers, but with it being played before the start of the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf season, the DP World Tour could attract a much larger proportion of the world's best to the Majlis Course in mid-January.

It would appear that the Genesis Scottish Open will remain on the PGA TOUR calendar in some capacity, but with half of the field being from the DP World Tour it must be under a little bit of doubt whether it will fit into the top tier of events, or into the second tier of events. With the PGA TOUR aiming at a maximum field per event of 120 it would seem likely that many PGA TOUR members might object to the Scottish Open being in the top tier of events. It is possible that the two tours could co-sanction the Amgen Irish Open, either in the week before the Genesis Scottish Open, or in the week following The Open to create a three-week links swing. Potentially the two Opens could be played on multiple courses, allowing for an enlarged field of 212 players, enabling the PGA TOUR to have 120 out of the overall field, and giving access to more regular DP World Tour members to these events.

With the proposed changes there has to be some doubt over the future of the RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR calendar. A two-tier system putting the Canadian Open among the second tier of events would not satisfy Canadian golf, fans and golfers at all, when that championship has been won by some of the icons of the game since its inception in 1904, and has been played regularly by the likes of Rory McIlroy.

So maybe the DP World Tour could look to co-sanction the event as part of the summer or even the autumn schedule. When Tiger Woods won the Canadian Open in 2000 it was played in the week ending September 10. This could be part of an enhanced slate of National Opens in September, October, and November which could see eligible PGA TOUR members and members of LIV Golf come across to play in.

With LIV Golf's calendar also running from February to August, it presents another potential opportunity for the DP World Tour.

It seems entirely possible that the PGA TOUR will look to rearrange its Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour, co-sanctioning events but withdrawing its financial support for the tour, so the DP World Tour needs to look elsewhere, and the Public Investment Fund seems to be likely. LIV Golf events and International Series could be integrated into DP World Tour schedule, along with events on the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour, and PGA Tour of Australasia, with the major national Opens of the European Tour moved to the late summer and autumn.

The DP World Tour would essentially become the umbrella for the European Tour, LIV Golf, Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia, creating a dynamic worldwide platform for golf combining tradition and history with entertainment and innovation, and providing the opportunity for LIV Golf's team concept to reach its potential.

The European Tour Group has faced many challenges since the Pandemic, it is absolutely vital that moving forwards they make the right decisions to turn future challenges into exploited opportunities.

SHANK, by Matt Hooper