Tiger Woods eyes European Tour membership

Somewhere, Tim Finchem’s stony visage must be crumbling. First, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and six other top players stole the thunder from this week’s second of four PGA Tour Fall Season games by following the money to Turkey.

And now this: Tiger Woods said Wednesday he would consider joining the European Tour if officials changed some of its membership criteria.

George O’Grady’s tour will reportedly soon count the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Seve Trophy as three of the 13 events golfers must play to qualify for membership, according to the Associated Press. Woods, still Finchem’s prize pony in his stable of superstars on the U.S. side, apparently considered dual membership with the Euros in 2000 when that organization required 11 tournaments.

“I knew I would have to play one of two more events back then when it was 11 but now that criteria is 13,” Woods told the AP from the World Golf Final in Turkey. “I don’t know what my numbers are as I know I played 19 in the States this year and whether it crosses over or not but I will again look at it.

“I did play Abu Dhabi but then 13 are certainly a lot more than 11, especially playing full-time in the States.”

Woods, by the way, will have to wait until Thursday to face McIlroy in their highly anticipated showdown. After Woods beat Matt Kuchar and McIlroy lost to Schwartzel in the morning, storms put an end to play for the rest of the day, delaying the Tiger v. Rory clash, according to Reuters.