European Tour makes changes in longshot attempt to compete with PGA Tour

The European Tour, desperate to halt the defection of Euro golfers to the more lucrative US-based PGA Tour, will dramatically reduce the number of events players must start to retain membership from 13 to five and, of far greater importance to the currency-seeking contestants, increase the prize money up for grabs at each tournament.

“We are going to change our philosophy so that it’s a players-first philosophy,” European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said on Tuesday from the season-ending Dubai World Tour Championship about the changes that will occur during a three-year rollout.

Target players include newly crowned OHL Classic champion Graeme McDowell, who had decided to forego Euro Tour qualification requirements for more chances to cash in on the PGA Tour.

“My playing privileges on this side of the Atlantic are more important to me than my playing privileges on the European Tour, simply because when you boil it all down and look at it from a purely monetary point of view, I want to be employed in the best possible job I can,” McDowell said ahead of last week’s win in Mexico, his first PGA Tour W since April 2013. “The European Tour means a lot to me. I’m very proud of it, I’m very loyal to it. The Ryder Cup is really important to me. But making a living is what it’s all about.”

Pelley noted his organization had to offer the same financial incentives as its US counterpart if it hoped to feature young golfers, who tend to make their bones in Europe and then take their promising games across the Atlantic.

“At this particular time, if you are a young player, and you have done very well in the European Tour and you want to make the most money, you are going to go play in America,” Pelley acknowledged to reporters.

Another change will take the majors and limited-field WGC affairs out of the five-tourney membership criteria. Players outside the top 50, like McDowell, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter, have no automatic access to such events.

Pelley also announced that the FedEx Cup-like Race to Dubai Final Series will have three contests rather than four, with the WGC-HSBC Champions no longer in play.

Speaking of which, Rory McIlroy can defend his Race to Dubai title if he finishes ahead of hard-charging Danny Willett this week in Dubai. Others in contention include Willett (who must better Rory’s final standing), Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen.

Sergio Garcia, who skipped two FedEx Cup series matches earlier this year, has decided to pass up the easy money in the 60-player, no-cut Dubai tilt for a likely more lucrative appearance fee in Asia.

Garcia, 11th in the world, passed on the Dubai tournament two years ago, as well, because of his schedule and general weariness. Sergio, who just played back-to-back weeks in Malaysia and China, offered no reason for this year’s truancy.