The DP World Tour has been on a good stretch of events of late, with exciting finishes coming at the Irish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the Spanish Open last week.
With the FedEx Cup play-offs in the rearview mirror, there has been an opportunity for the DP World Tour to shine after what has arguably been a tough year on their side of the pond.
Of course, the DP World Tour has strengthened its ties with the PGA Tour since LIV Golf came onto the scene. That has been beneficial at times, with strong fields making their way across for the Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship in particular.
There is also a pathway for the DP World Tour’s best players to earn PGA Tour cards. However, the signature events in the States have largely contributed to fans having less reason to get excited about the European Tour. It certainly appears to have become more of a feeder league for the PGA Tour in the last couple of years.
Matthew Fitzpatrick hits out at the DP World Tour
There are times when Europe benefits, with Billy Horschel someone who attracted crowds at Wentworth when he won the BMW PGA Championship. Horschel is someone who has contributed plenty to the DP World Tour over the years. But clearly, that is not the case with everyone.
Matthew Fitzpatrick was asked about Horschel suggesting ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship that the PGA Tour should do their own thing if talks with PIF collapse. And he took the opportunity to suggest that he is not best pleased when the red carpet is rolled out for those who generally offer little to the DP World Tour.
“Being brutally honest, yeah, I don’t disagree. I personally think that should have happened before. I don’t think the Tour should have gone with the PGA Tour,” he said.
“I was pretty livid, to be honest, at Wentworth when I found out that there was a handful of PGA Tour players coming to play Wentworth, and at that point in time, not every person who kept their card last year got in the field, which I think is a disgrace. That’s the flagship event.
“There’s no invites given to European Tour players at The Players Championship. So why are we dishing them out for Wentworth?”
A balancing act
It is a very valid point. While there is a balancing act to be had, the DP World Tour should not allow their players to miss out to accommodate bigger names from the PGA Tour.
Of course, there are players who are going to attract more eyeballs and better sponsors to the event. And it does not appear that Fitzpatrick is suggesting that some of those players should not be involved at all.
However, he does not want to see those fighting to keep their cards on the DP World Tour not get the opportunity to play at Wentworth. A good week in the Surrey pines can change so much about a player’s season.
It remains to be seen how golf will move forward once a pathway is agreed. But, as things stand, surely there is little doubt that the DP World Tour has been the biggest loser so far.
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