The DP World Tour will look — and pay — barely completely different this upcoming season.
Getty Photos
One 12 months into its title sponsorship, the phrase “DP World Tour” nonetheless takes some getting used to. The artist previously generally known as the European Tour has an extended and storied historical past, in spite of everything, which suggests the rebranded circuit will take a while to enter golf’s lexicon. Even the tour’s web site has one foot previously; kind in “dpworldtour.com” and also you’ll get redirected to “europeantour.com”. However Thursday’s schedule announcement for the 2023 season made one factor clear: This ain’t your dad’s European Tour.
The brand new schedule is emphasizing the “World” in DP World Tour; its 39 occasions will happen throughout 26 international locations and, counting its co-sanctioned occasions, 5 continents. By the point the circuit really tees it up in continental Europe — in Could, for the Italian Open — it’ll have contested practically 20 occasions.
How is that this 12 months completely different? New tournaments. Extra money. Assured cash. Strategic alliances left and proper. Some websites have vanished. Others have shifted. There’s even a miniature summer time trip! This was the DP World Tour’s first massive announcement since LIV vs. the PGA Tour started occupying the whole thing of the golf world’s collective consciousness. And it looks like a step ahead.
Listed here are 13 vital adjustments that may (hopefully) assist make sense of the brand new schedule.
1. They’re enjoying for extra money.
The primary 4 Rolex Sequence occasions of 2023 — the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Desert Basic, Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship — will all now function $9 million prize pots, up from $8 million a 12 months in the past, constructing to the $10 million season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Whereas LIV and the PGA Tour have engaged in an arms race that includes considerably extra monetary firepower than the DP World can muster, the uptick in prize cash alerts one thing vital to its gamers and sponsors: stability. The $144 million in purses is $50 million increased than 2021, when it rebooted post-pandemic.
Within the schedule launch, DP World Tour Chief Government Keith Pelley pointed to the circuit’s monetary standing as proof of a profitable (if much-scrutinized) alliance with the PGA Tour, citing the “power of our partnership with the PGA Tour, who’re working with us to drive income and a long-term progress plan.”
2. The highest guys get extra money, too.
An additional $6 million can be out there for the main eight gamers, because of a Rolex sponsorship. The PGA Tour has FedEx, the DP World Tour has Rolex. Gamers are glad for each.
The highest 10 gamers on the cash checklist may also earn PGA Tour playing cards, strengthening the connection between the circuits — though critics have claimed the connection makes the DP World Tour basically a “feeder tour” to the PGA Tour. However that’s the truth of the state of affairs; the PGA Tour outpaces the DP World in cash and high expertise, so there’s nonetheless a lot to be gained from the connection.
3. There’s a assured cash flooring.
The brand new “Earnings Assurance Programme” mimics an analogous mannequin on the PGA Tour and ensures that exempt gamers who play no less than 15 occasions on the DP World Tour will pocket a minimal of $150,000 on the finish of the season. In different phrases, if a participant has performed in 15 occasions and made $80,000 by the top of the season, the DP World Tour pays an additional $70,000.
Rookies, Problem Tour graduates and Q-Faculty graduates can take as much as $20,000 immediately to fund “long-haul early season journey.” That can be an advance in opposition to future earnings. Partial members may also get $1500 on weeks they miss the reduce to help with journey prices and tournament-related bills.
“I’ve all the time believed that it’s an unbelievable accomplishment for any skilled golfer to easily achieve their enjoying rights on the DP World Tour and this new initiative acknowledges and rewards that achievement,” Pelley mentioned within the launch.
4. There are strategic alliances all over the place.
In all places! Whereas the MENA Tour earns no point out within the DP World’s launch, the DP does trumpet its strategic alliances with the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour. Life is healthier with buddies. That will get us to the schedule, which begins with…
5. A mini Australian Swing.
Two occasions Down Below have been added to the DP World calendar: the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship (Nov. 24-27) at Royal Queensland in Brisbane, marking the start of the brand new season, and the ISPS Handa Australian Open (Dec. 1-4) at Kingston Heath in Melbourne. The alliance is paying dividends already!
6. Then there’s a South African Swing.
This begins in parallel with the Australian occasions; the Joburg Open is Nov. 24-27, too, kicking off three consecutive occasions in South Africa adopted by the Mauritius Open. There may also be a secondary swing by the Mom Continent in March, with the Magical Kenya Open adopted by two extra occasions in South Africa.
7. The brand new 12 months begins with a Ryder Cup tune-up.
That may be the Hero Cup, a brand new group match-play occasion that may kick off the 2023 calendar 12 months for the DP World Tour and is ready to happen at Abu Dhabi Golf Membership Jan. 13-15.
A ten-man group from Nice Britain and Eire will tackle a 10-man group from Continental Europe with the purpose of blooding rivals for the Ryder Cup come September 2023. Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald will preside over the occasion, which is able to encompass three days of match-play competitors.
8. Then comes an enriched Desert Swing.
The stroke-play portion of the season begins the next week at Yas Hyperlinks, additionally in Abu Dhabi, the primary of the 12 months’s $9 million Rolex Sequence occasions. That’s adopted by one other $9 million Rolex Sequence occasion, the Dubai Desert Basic, earlier than the swing wraps up on the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, by which level among the massive names can have jetted again to the PGA Tour whereas the DP World regulars compete for a extra typical $2 million purse.
9. A brand-new Asian Swing options 4 new occasions.
Largely new, no less than. The Singapore Basic, Thailand Basic and Hero Indian Open taking us by the top of Feburary. Two extra Asian occasions — the ISPS Handa in Japan and one other occasion in South Korea — will happen on the finish of April. In whole the DP World Tour has added 4 new occasions in Asia.
10. After which there’s the basic European Summer season Swing.
See what I imply after I say this isn’t simply the “European Tour” anymore? We’ve made it by April with out setting foot in Europe. However when you hit Could the DP World has basically six uninterrupted months of the tournaments the tour is greatest recognized for. Get able to trek by Italy (for a Ryder Cup preview) and on to Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, England, Denmark, Scotland, Northern Eire, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Eire and France, which is able to take us into the Ryder Cup again in Italy once more.
11. There’s a summer time break.
That is an intriguing wrinkle; there’s a three-week break after the Open Championship (which wraps July 23) earlier than the following DP World Tour occasion kicks off on Aug. 17. For reference, that break strains up with the ultimate two occasions of the PGA Tour’s common season — the 3M Open and Wyndham Championship — and its first playoff occasion, the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
There aren’t many breaks, that’s for positive. And whereas future variations of the schedule — 2024 and on — are more likely to have further breaks, this present model actually emphasizes the phrase “tour,” too. These guys can be barnstorming everywhere.
12. The Irish Open has a brand new slot on the schedule.
Lately the Irish Open has bounced across the summer time months, and consequently its greatest potential draw, Rory McIlroy, hasn’t all the time been in a position to take part. This 12 months the Irish Open strikes to a brand new slot on the schedule, Sept. 7-10, placing it two weeks after the PGA Tour wraps up its season at East Lake. Whereas he hasn’t mentioned something in regards to the new date, it actually appears believable that McIlroy — and different European stars together with Irishmen Shane Lowry and Seamus Energy — would play the Irish Open and the BMW PGA back-to-back after which have per week off earlier than the Ryder Cup in Italy.
13. Valderrama appears…out.
This isn’t official official, however you may just about guess the farm that LIV has planted its flag on Valderrama’s turf and that the DP World Tour received’t be returning subsequent October. And whereas the Spanish Open is in its spot on the schedule for Oct. 12-15 (making it seemingly that Jon Rahm, like McIlroy, will have the ability to play his nationwide open) there are three open weeks after that with simply “TBC” written on the DP World Tour’s schedule.
I’m unsure if TBC means “to be confirmed” or “to be continued.” Both method, that looks like the proper notice to finish on.
TBC.
The remainder of the schedule’s beneath.
2022
NOV. 24-27: Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, Royal Queensland GC, Brisbane, Australia
NOV. 24-27: Joburg Open, Houghton GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
DEC. 1-4: ISPS Handa Australian Open, Victoria GC & Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia
DEC. 1-4: Investec South African Open Championship, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Property, Lanseria, Johannesburg, South Africa
DEC. 8-11: Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
DEC. 15-18 AfrAsia Financial institution Mauritius Open Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand Baie, Mauritius
2023
JAN. 13-15: Hero Cup, Abu Dhabi GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
JAN. 19-22: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Yas Hyperlinks, Abu Dhabi, UAE
JAN. 26-29: Dubai Desert Basic, Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE
FEB. 2-5: Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
FEB. 9-12: Singapore Basic, Laguna Nationwide Golf Resort Membership, Singapore
FEB. 16-19: Thailand Basic, Amata Spring CC, Chon Buri, Bangkok, Thailand
FEB. 23-26: Hero Indian Open, TBA, India
MAR. 2-5: TBC
MAR. 9-12: Magical Kenya Open, Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya
MAR. 16-19: South African Occasion Confirmed, TBA, South Africa
MAR. 23-26: Jonsson Workwear Open, The Membership at Steyn Metropolis, Johannesburg, South Africa
MAR. 22-26: WGC – Dell Applied sciences Match Play, Austin CC, Austin, TX, USA
MAR. 30-APRIL 2: NO EVENT
APRIL 6 – 9: The Masters, Augusta Nationwide GC, Augusta, GA, USA
APRIL 13-16: NO EVENT
APRIL 20-23: ISPS HANDA CHAMPIONSHIP PGM Ishioka GC, Omitama, Japan
APRIL 27-30: Korean Occasion Confirmed, TBA, South Korea
MAY 4-7: Italian Open, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
MAY 11-14: Soudal Open, Rinkven Worldwide GC, Antwerp, Belgium
MAY 18-21: U.S. PGA Championship, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY, USA
MAY 25-28: Dutch Open, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, The Netherlands
JUNE 1-4: Porsche European Open, Inexperienced Eagle Golf Programs, Hamburg, Germany
JUNE 8-11: Volvo Automobile Scandinavian Blended, Ullna G&CC, Stockholm, Sweden
JUNE 15-18: U.S. Open, Los Angeles CC, Los Angeles, CA, USA
JUNE 22-25: BMW Worldwide Open Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
JUNE 29-JULY 2: Betfred British Masters, The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England
JULY 6-9: Made in HimmerLand, HimmerLand, Farsoe, Denmark
JULY 13-16: Genesis Scottish Open, The Renaissance Membership, North Berwick, Scotland
JULY 13-16: Barbasol Championship, Keene Hint GC, Nicholasville, KY, USA
JULY 20-23: The 151st Open Championship, Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, England
JULY 20-23: Barracuda Championship, Tahoe Mt. Membership, Truckee, CA, USA
THREE-WEEK SUMMER BREAK
AUG. 17-20: ISPS Handa World Invitational introduced by AVIV Clinics, Galgorm Fortress & TBC, Co Antrim, N. Eire
AUG. 24-27: D+D Actual Czech Masters, Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic
AUG. 31-SEPT. 3: Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
SEPT. 7-10: Horizon Irish Open, The Okay Membership, Staffan, Kildare, Eire
SEPT. 14-17: BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Membership, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
SEPT. 21-24: Cazoo Open de France, Le Golf Nationwide, Paris, France
SEPT 29-OCT. 1: The Ryder Cup, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
OCT. 5-8: Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship, Outdated Course St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland
OCT. 12 – 15: acciona Open de España introduced by Madrid, Membership de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
OCT. 19-22: TBC
OCT. 26-29: TBC
NOV. 2-5: TBC
NOV. 9-12: Nedbank Golf Problem, Gary Participant CC, Solar Metropolis, South Africa
NOV. 16-19: DP World Tour Championship, Dubai Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, UAE
