Had golf fans been told ahead of the DP World Tour Championship that Thriston Lawrence would finish in a tie for 30th, it is entirely possible that many would have lost interest, with the South African the only man who could stop Rory McIlroy winning the Race to Dubai.
Of course, both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have struggled to get their play-off structure right in recent years; trying to find the perfect balance between rewarding the best players over the season while also leaving room for drama at the season finale.
So the fact that Lawrence had such a quiet week would not have been ideal as Rory McIlroy essentially had the Race to Dubai title wrapped up long before the final round at the DP World Tour Championship. However, it does indeed appear that the week was still an overwhelming success for the DP World Tour.
From a commercial perspective, it was probably ideal that the biggest name on the DP World Tour won both the Order of Merit and the tournament itself – with McIlroy beating Rasmus Hojgaard by two shots. In fact, there is an argument that the DP World Tour ended up as an even bigger winner than McIlroy.
Why the DP World Tour was a bigger winner than Rory McIlroy
It is fair to say that the DP World Tour has been the biggest loser out of the three main tours since the start of LIV Golf. A number of European stalwarts were amongst the first to jump ship, robbing the DP World Tour of some of their most iconic figures, including Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia.
The tour’s future still appears to be uncertain. It may not help that players such as Hojgaard and Lawrence will have the chance to play full-time on the PGA Tour next year. They cannot produce superstar names as quickly as they seem to now be handing them over to the PGA Tour.
However, the recent months have shown that there is plenty of life left in the DP World Tour. It has mostly capitalised on its time to shine since the FedEx Cup play-offs and the end of the LIV season. It was clear what a sixth Order of Merit title meant to McIlroy as he moved alongside Seve Ballesteros in the all-time standings.
And perhaps the most positive indication of how much potential the DP World Tour still has came off the back of what appeared to be a huge blow ahead of the DP World Tour Championship.
Absence of Jon Rahm not the setback some may have expected
Jon Rahm decided to not play the event having already played in enough tournaments to remain a member and ensure that he is set to be eligible for the Ryder Cup next year. Unsurprisingly, the DP World Tour were unhappy with Rahm’s decision. The Spaniard would have arguably been the second biggest name in the field behind McIlroy.
And yet, there was no sense throughout the week that Rahm was greatly missed. Would the tournament have been better for having Rahm in it? Yes, definitely. The likes of Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton flew the LIV flag and finished in the top 10, while Hatton made plenty of headlines throughout the week.
But the battle between McIlroy and Hojgaard down the back nine on Sunday was enthralling, with neither player able to take the tournament away from the other until the Northern Irishman made a birdie on the 16th hole. It was made all the more gripping by the fact that the same two players had duelled over the Irish Open title earlier this year, with the young Dane just getting across the line on that occasion.
The DP World Tour is never going to turn down the chance to have Rahm in its fields. He is one of the best players on the planet. But if he had hoped to prove a point with his absence at the weekend, perhaps it is fair to say that he may now be feeling a little disappointed.
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