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Which 10 DP World Tour players have earned PGA Tour cards for 2024?

Adrian Meronk leads the list of DP World Tour stars heading to the PGA Tour in 2024.

A total of 10 DP World Tour players officially received their PGA Tour cards for 2024 following the completion of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. 

The leading 10 players on the Race to Dubai standings following the completion of the DP World Tour Championship - who were not already eligible to compete on the PGA Tour - earned their cards for the PGA Tour in 2024.

Adrian Meronk, who was agonisingly denied a pick in Luke Donald's 2023 European Ryder Cup team, led the list of DP World Tour stars heading to the PGA Tour in 2024. 

BMW PGA champion Ryan Fox also secured his place on the PGA Tour. 

Other players receiving their PGA Tour cards include Victor Perez, Thorbjorn Olesen, Alex Bjork, Sami Valimaki, Bob MacIntyre, Matthieu Pavon, Jorge Campillo and Ryo Hisatsune. 

Late drama unfolded in the final round of the DP World Tour Championship as Pavon birdied the final four holes to play his way into a PGA Tour card.

Nicolai Hojgaard's brother Rasmus Hojgaard was unfortunately the player to miss out on earning a PGA Tour card after finishing 11th in the list. 

South Africa's Thriston Lawrence also missed out despite finishing T5 in the DP World Tour Championship. 

Nicolai, who won the DP World Tour Championship to finish second to Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai, is already a PGA Tour member playing on both circuits. 

It was therefore a mixed day of emotions for the Hojgaard brothers, albeit Rasmus was delighted to see his brother win the DP World Tour's season finale.

Ryder Cup rookie Nicolai Højgaard wins the DP World Tour Championship! #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/y52cIzvce4 — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 19, 2023

Which 10 DP World Tour players earned PGA Tour cards for 2024?

1. Adrian Meronk

2. Ryan Fox

3. Victor Perez

4. Thorbjorn Olesen

5. Alex Bjork

6. Sami Valimaki

7. Robert MacIntyre

8. Matthieu Pavon

9. Jorge Campillo

10. Ryo Hisatsune

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What do you make of the DP World Tour handing 10 of their best stars over to the PGA Tour in 2024? Has it simply become a feeder Tour, or has that always been the case? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels. 

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The 10 players who earned 2024 PGA Tour cards from the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai

The 2022-2023 DP World Tour season concluded with the end of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, with 10 players earning their PGA Tour cards and status for the 2024 season.

The top 10 players on the final Race to Dubai points list who are not otherwise exempt on the PGA Tour next season have earned membership.

The players who get in this category will ultimately be mixed in with other PGA Tour qualifiers who are subject to the PGA Tour's routine reshuffles. As the top player in this listing, Adrian Meronk also qualifies for a Signature event and the Charles Schwab Challenge in May.

10 DP World Tour players who earned PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

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Pga tour ramps up 'joint venture' with dp world tour, adds bigger purses, tour cards, share this article.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced on Tuesday that they have upgraded their previous “strategic alliance” to an “operational joint venture partnership” as part of a 13-year deal.

“It was clear from the outset that our Strategic Partnership with the European Tour Group was a powerful agreement for both sides, and we are thrilled with today’s announcement of this expanded partnership,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

What that actually means is the PGA Tour is increasing its investment in the circuit formally known as the European Tour, including prize fund levels, which are set to grow annually for the next five years.

As part of the new joint venture, the PGA Tour will increase its existing stake in the European Tour Productions from 15 percent to 40 percent, and use the circuit’s existing global footprint to coordinate a worldwide schedule.

The joint venture also provides a formal pathway from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour for the first time. As such, beginning in 2023, the leading ten players on the end of season DP World Tour Rankings [in addition to those already exempt] will earn PGA Tour cards.

It also provides a clearly defined pathway for top players around the world. Players from the Sunshine Tour and ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, with whom the DP World Tour already has existing strategic alliances, will enjoy a formal pathway to the DP World Tour.

“This move will significantly enhance the meritocracy that has successfully served the professional game on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 50 years,” DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley said. “It is a natural extension and progression of what we have been doing over the past few years and I passionately believe that this move is the right thing for our players, our Tour, our fans, and the game of golf in general.

“Our two tours have undoubtedly drawn closer over the past few years and today’s announcement strengthens both Tours for the betterment of both memberships.”

Terms of the PGA Tour’s financial support and investment in the DP World Tour weren’t disclosed by either party. Sources say the Tour will pour about $100 million into its business partner.

The strategic alliance originally was struck in November 2020 as a defense mechanism against the formation of the Premier Golf League and to fend off the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Members of the DP World Tour reportedly have been split, with some players wanting Pelley to issue harsh penalties on defectors to LIV Golf and others asking for him to spurn the PGA Tour and reach an agreement with LIV Golf. In many ways, the future of men’s professional golf hung in the balance as Pelley weighed the DP World Tour’s options. This marks a significant victory for Monahan.

“We will continue to collaborate on a global schedule and key commercial areas as we draw our organizations and memberships even closer together while innovating to provide the most entertaining and compelling golf possible to fans around the world,” Monahan said.

The original partnership included collaboration on issues such as media, playing opportunities, scheduling and prize funds and was widely perceived as the first step toward an eventual merger of the two bodies.

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Which DP World Tour Players Are In Line For PGA Tour Cards?

Two Ryder Cup stars and the main man to miss out are among the 10 payers currently in position to earn PGA Tour cards via the Race To Dubai standings

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There are 10 PGA Tour cards up for grabs for the highest finishers on the Race To Dubai not already exempt, but who is in the mix to be the latest to head off to America from the DP World Tour?

Critics say it's just another sign of European golf becoming a feeder tour for the mighty PGA Tour, but those players involved in the race will see it as a potentially lucrative and career-changing opportunity awaiting across the Atlantic.

The DP World Tour has also recently revealed two new membership opportunities working the other way where PGA Tour players can play more regularly in Europe.

With just two events left on the DP World Tour schedule - but two big events in the Nedbank Golf Challenge followed by the season-ending DP World Tour Championship - there's everything still to play for.

In this, the first year of the scheme, whoever finishes No.1 in the standings for the 10 PGA Tour cards will be fully exempt for 2024 and also earn a spot in the Players Championship.

His recent victory at the Andalucia Masters put Adrian Meronk in pole position (pun intended) and the man to agonisingly miss out on the Ryder Cup now holds the narrowest of leads over Ryan Fox at the top of the list.

Frenchman Victor Perez and talented Australian Min Woo Lee are next in the standings and looking good to book their places on the PGA Tour.

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Finland's Sami Valimaki is right up there now after winning in Qatar, while Robert MacIntyre is well placed in sixth spot as he looks to follow up making his Ryder Cup debut by claiming a PGA Tour card in what would be a dream season.

Alexander Bjork and Jorge Campillo are followed by former Ryder Cup player Thorbjorn Olesen and Japan's Ryo Hisatsune.

The 10 players currently in PGA Tour cards places

• 1 Adrian Meronk
• 3 Victor Perez
• 4 Min Woo Lee
• 5 Sami Valimaki
• 6 Robert MacIntyre
• 7 Alexander Bjork
• 8 Jorge Campillo
• 9 Thorbjorn Olesen
• 10 Ryo Hisatsune

Outside of the top 10, there are players still lurking with hopes of making a late dash, including Rasmus Hojgaard, Joost Luiten and Yannik Paul.

Who are the nearest challengers?

• 11 Joost Luiten
• 12 Yannik Paul
• 13 Marcel Siem
• 14 Matthieu Pavon
• 15 Rasmus Hojgaard
• 16 Jordan Smith
• 17 Romain Langasque
• 18 Sebastian Soderberg
• 19 Thriston Lawrence
• 20 Daniel Hillier

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

Billy Horschel suggested that LIV Golf supporters are partially to blame for the current state of men's professional golf

By Ben Fleming Published 27 April 24

The deal with LIV Golf is expected to go towards funding Golf Australia’s junior program

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Top 10 players on DP World Tour to earn PGA TOUR cards starting in '23

Beginning next year, the top 10 players on the DP World Tour standings at the end of each season will earn PGA TOUR cards, the TOUR announced in a statement Tuesday.

The agreement is part of a 13-year "operational joint venture partnership" between the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour, strengthening their existing alliance that was announced in November 2020.

There will also be an increase in the PGA TOUR's existing stake in the European Tour Productions from 15% to 40% and an increase in annual prize funds for DP World Tour members over the next five years.

In addition, the Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia will now have a formal pathway to the DP World Tour.

The news comes after some PGA TOUR and DP World Tour players joined Greg Norman's Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

Earlier this month, PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan suspended players taking part in current and future LIV Golf events.

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See which players have earned their 2023 DP World Tour cards

Nathan Kimsey kept his cool to win both the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final and the Road to Mallorca rankings on the Challenge Tour.

The top 20 from the final rankings earned their cards on the 2023 DP World Tour , which starts in three weeks!

It was a nail biting back nine for most of the field, as the top 20 cut off kept adjusting with the live scores.

With three holes to play, Kimsey was tied at the top with fellow Englishman Matthew Baldwin. Kimsey parred his way in to card a final round 70 to win by one from John Parry and Bruce Easton.

To show how close things were, Baldwin, who was in reaching distance of the double closed with two bogies, which meant instead of finishing first on the Challenge Tour ranking ended the season in 19th.

The top 20 players from the 2022 Challenge Tour ranking to earn their DP World Tour cards

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PGA Tour, DP World Tour announce stunning new exemption guidelines

The DP World Tour, now more than ever before, appears to be acting as a feeder tour for the PGA Tour across the pond.

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Before Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in the late 1990s, the European Tour—now the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons—competed head-to-head against the PGA Tour.

Both circuits had amazing talent, with the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Colin Montgomerie leading the European charge.

But times have changed.

The DP World Tour is now a feeder tour to the PGA Tour, and Monday’s announcement boldens that claim.

Beginning with the 2024 season, full membership on the DP World Tour is available to players who finish in positions 126th to 200th in the 2023 FedEx Cup Fall points list.

Furthermore, affiliate membership of the DP World Tour is available to any other PGA Tour player who participates in any Race to Dubai tournament during the 2024 season.

The Race to Dubai is the DP World Tour’s equivalent of the FedEx Cup.

Affiliate members and non-members will now appear on a new ‘Non-Member Race to Dubai Points List’ following the first tournament where they earn points.

Should affiliate members play more than four qualifying events on the DP World Tour, they will earn a spot in the DP World Tour playoffs.

Meanwhile, those who finish the FedEx Cup fall ranked 125th and above will obtain PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

“When we announced our Strategic Alliance with the PGA Tour in November 2021, one of the prime objectives was to give as many opportunities as possible to members of both Tours, and this is another perfect example of how this is working,” said David Howell, the Chairman of the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee.

Sure, more opportunities will exist for more players, but the DP World Tour will house those who could not qualify for the PGA Tour.

Those PGA Tour players ranked between 126th and 200th in the FedEx Cup fall standings who take up full membership will play from a newly created category within the 2024 DP World Tour exemption category list.

Only five players from this category can play in a DP World Tour event in any given week—meaning only five PGA Tour players can enter a DP World Tour field.

That will help protect current players on the DP World Tour, but it does not protect the European circuit’s top talent.

The top 10 players on the DP World Tour’s 2023 Race to Dubai rankings—not otherwise exempt—will earn PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

So, the best of the DP World Tour will head to the PGA Tour, meaning it will be deprived of its top talent.

Here are the top 10 players in the rankings—not otherwise exempt—following Adrian Meronk’s win at the Andalucia Masters :

• Adrian Meronk (Poland)
• Ryan Fox (New Zealand)
• Victor Perez (France)
• Min Woo Lee (Australia)
• Alexander Björk (Sweden)
• Robert MacIntyre (Scotland)
• Ryo Hisatsune (Japan)
• Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark)
• Joost Luiten (Netherlands)
• Marcel Siem (Germany)

What is great about this list is that 10 different countries are represented. Yet, these players will be plucked from the DP World Tour.

Ballesteros is likely rolling over in his grave, but the DP World Tour faced no other options. They have been strapped for cash—only turning a profit on years in which Europe hosts the Ryder Cup . Hence, the strategic alliance that was announced a couple of years ago.

Of course, there are ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund on the future of professional golf.

Nobody knows what the sport will look like in 2025, but in 2024, the writing on the wall is clear that the DP World Tour is the minor league affiliate of the PGA Tour.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

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Nicolai Hojgaard wins DP World Tour Championship as brother Rasmus misses PGA Tour card

Nicolai Hojgaard won his third and biggest DP World Tour title Sunday.

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In a slightly awkward twist of fate, Sunday was bittersweet for the Hojgaard twins.

First the sweet, which is sure to outweigh the bitter of the family. Nicolai Hojgaard made five consecutive birdies on the back nine at Jumeirah Golf Estates to come from behind and defeat Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Wallace to win the DP World Tour Championship .

It’s the third and by far the biggest title of the Dane’s DP World Tour career and comes just less than two months after his 0-2-1 debut performance in Team Europe’s win at the Ryder Cup.

Wallace started the day in the lead with the heavyweight duo of Hovland and Fleetwood and the three traded the lead early in the round. But then Nicolai’s birdie blitz forced all three in the final pairing to eagle to the last to force a playoff.

All three could only manage par to finish in a three-way tie for second.

The win means Nicolai finishes No. 2 in the Race to Dubai standings. Rory McIlroy had already clinched his fifth order of merit win last week after the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

It was also one of the last events for Nicolai before he accepts full PGA Tour membership for next season. The 22-year-old became a special temporary PGA Tour member earlier this season and accumulated the necessary number of non-member FedEx Cup points to earn full status for next season.

Why Rory McIlroy’s a ‘funny fish,’ Max Homa’s overseas adventure | Monday Finish

However, his twin brother, Rasmus, won’t be joining him on the American Tour next season.

Rasmus came into the week 16th in the Race to Dubai rankings, important because this is the first year in which t he top 10 players in the Race to Dubai final standings , not otherwise exempt, earn 2024 PGA Tour cards. With four PGA Tour members and two players set to earn status via other means (including Nicolai), Rasums was in position to earn the 10th and final card.

However, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon birdied his final four holes Sunday to finish T5 in Dubai and jump up 5 spots to 15th in the final standings, bumping Rasmus, who finished T11, out of a card.

Hojgaard will have to start from scratch next season to earn PGA Tour status as there is no exemption to next month’s final stage of PGA Tour Q-School for DP World Tour members.

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Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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Letter from Europe

Guy Kinnings has a simple job as the new DP World Tour chief: Keep his 50-plus-year tour relevant

LONDON — No one said it was going to be easy. And less than a month into his tenure as just the fifth Chief Executive in the European/DP World Tour’s more than 50 years of existence, Guy Kinnings isn’t having to look too far for problems that need solving. Predictably, one in particular is dominating the 60-year-old Englishman’s thoughts. Like everyone else at the sharp end of administration in professional golf, he is concerned that the current conflict between the game’s establishment and LIV Golf needs to be resolved. And resolved as soon as possible.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff in my ‘in-tray,” Kinnings says on Thursday during a session with various golf media. “But there is one topic that needs to get sorted first. If and when that happens, everything else will flow from there. The irony is that golf is such a healthy state in so many metrics—participation, interest levels—but until we get a solution and know what the future of the professional game is going to look like, everything else has to wait. It is the elephant in every room.

“All I want to do is get the right people round the table—PGA Tour Enterprises, Fenway Sports Group, Strategic Sports Group, the DP World Tour, the Saudi Public Investment Fund—I don’t know,” Kinnings continues. “But there is an intent to talk about what the future can look like. What does the product look like in 2026 and beyond? What is the pathway? But until we get the right people in the right room with the right intent, we are never going to work out a deal. That is what is needed right now. And it’s the same as in any business: don’t leave until you have deal done.”

To that end, Kinnings claims to be encouraged by the dealings he has so far had with Yassir Al-Rumayyan, chairman and governor of the PIF, the financial arm for the LIV Golf League.

“The Saudis will want to ensure that they do things properly,” Kinnings says. “Yassir is a very astute businessman. I have no doubt he will have weighed up the dynamics at play. But everything I have heard is that he wants to find a longer-term solution. If he believes in the good of the game, he will know that a split product in the long run is not good. He will know that as well as anyone. So it is essential that, in the long run, things have to be better for the professional game. The more we hear about (television viewing) numbers falling, the more it is clear that, if we don’t move quickly, there will be lasting damage. I don’t think Yassir wants there to be damage to the game. He loves the game.”

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As to exactly what any deal should look like, Kinnings not surprisingly favors the model suggested by Rory McIlroy earlier this year, one that is “truly international.” By way of example, that could mean a “world tour” comprising, say, 20 events with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour “feeding” players into the newly created global circuit.

“I see a lot of sense in that,” Kinnings says. “What do the fans really want to see? They want to see the best players competing more often. So that model has appeal. But it is only part of the picture. If we are to find a solution, we need to be looking at integrating team golf in some way. That will satisfy what LIV has done. But it will also recognize that we all love team golf. Last year the Ryder Cup reminded us what golf at its best can look like. All I want to do is protect that. Our goal has to be to elevate everything.”

That can only happen if the leading U.S. players are prepared to travel outside their homeland. Despite much evidence to the contrary, Kinnings is optimistic on that front, pointing out that, historically, American superstars did their bit to promote the game worldwide. Which is true. In the past American superstars travelling helped create big events around the world. Arnold Palmer’s role in the resurrection of the Open Championship is one such example. Tiger Woods appearing regularly in Asia is another.

“The American players realizing that they will have to travel to enhance their brands is something they will have to compromise on,” Kinnings says. “If we all recognize that the game will be damaged without a solution I think the players will come round.”

Still, amidst all of the speculation, Kinnings is also cognizant of the fact that the DP World Tour does not have the loudest voice in any negotiations regarding the future of the professional game. A cynical observer might conclude that the DP World Tour will, whatever happens, simply do what the PGA Tour dictates. The pair are currently the constituent parts of a so-called “strategic alliance” that guarantees, amongst other things, record prize funds on the former European circuit for at least the next 13 years.

Prior to becoming DP World Tour chief, Kinnings was in charge or the Ryder Cup for the tour.

Andrew Redington

On the other side of that continuing debate, there are those Europeans who would not complain if Kinnings were to lead his members into a global circuit (minus the U.S.) alongside the PIF. All valid points, but whatever happens, Kinnings is quick to point out the experience the Old World circuit could bring to a truly worldwide tour.

“I don’t claim that I can make everything happen,” he says. “And I know we are characterized as the ‘third wheel’ in any negotiations. But I know that we have a voice in this. The reality is that the PGA Tour now has some very smart investors in Fenway Sports Group and the Strategic Sports Group. But we, through our strategic alliance, are working closely with the PGA Tour. We are working together on the end product. It’s a joint exercise. So practically, we are being listened to. I have dealt with the guys at Fenway, who were fascinated by the history of the DP World Tour and our internationalizing of the game. They know that we have the relationships around the world. We’ve built them for 50 years.

“Plus, two of the biggest financial institutions in the world want to invest in golf. Rory put it best when he said we need to find a way for them to do that. They clearly think golf works for them. Otherwise they wouldn’t be putting money in. So it’s our job to give them something that works for them and for the fans. We need to look forward, not back.”

Also heartening Kinnings is the news that Rory McIlroy is likely to re-join the PGA Tour Policy Board and become a director of PGA Tour Enterprises, meaning that there will be at least one European voice in that influential room.

“I know how much it took out of Rory originally,” says Kinnings, who served six years as the European Tour Group’s Deputy CEO, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Director-Ryder Cup before taking on his new role April 2. “He worked on board meetings until 2-3 in the morning, then got up and played in pro-ams. And now he’s prepared to go back. His voice is really important.”

There are many voices though and Kinnings, responding to the notion that things need to start happening soon, comes close to adding a timetable if golf is to survive the current crisis.

“I hope getting it right happens in the next few months,” he says. “We know it has to be done ASAP. I don’t see too much changing in 2025. 2026 is when we will see significant changes. To do that we need 2025 to prepare. I’m not setting any deadlines. But to plan a new product for 2026 you really need to have it done by the end of this year. Everyone needs to be flexible and compromise. Once we have the right solution we need to move fast.”

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Yuto Katsuragawa targets PGA Tour after maiden title at ISPS Handa Championship

Yuto Katsuragawa shot a final round 63 to finish on 17 under and edge out Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg to win his maiden DP World Tour title at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan; Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin finishes six shots back

Sunday 28 April 2024 10:50, UK

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Yuto Katsuragawa set his sights on a place on the PGA Tour after claiming a home win at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan.

The world No 434 started the week largely unknown outside of his homeland and it looked like it would stay that was as he entered the final round three shots off the lead among players with winning pedigree on the DP World Tour.

But he found himself in a share of top spot around the turn after picking up two shots on the front nine as the leaders faltered and five birdies in seven holes from the 10th sent him soaring to victory.

A closing 63 moved him to 17 under, three shots clear of Swede Sebastian Soderberg, and he indicated in the wake of his victory that he would now take up the DP World Tour membership available to him via his win.

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Yuto Katsuragawa wins the ISPS HANDA - CHAMPIONSHIP on home soil 🏆 #ISPSHandaChampionship pic.twitter.com/O3LcijIuay — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 28, 2024

He will instantly enter the top 25 on the Race to Dubai, with the top 10 players at the end of season not already exempt earning a PGA Tour card, and the 25-year-old was quick to plot his route to the United States.

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"I have been practising a lot to stand on the big stage," he said. "I can now go on the DP World Tour which is really great and I'm really happy with it. I'm aiming to become a member of the PGA Tour in the future."

He added: "I was very nervous on the back nine, my hands were shaking but I trusted myself and I managed to bring my golf.

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"This course is beside Mount Fuji and very beautiful but it is a challenging course and I'm happy to win at a challenging course like this."

One of the best trophies in golf 🏆 #ISPSHandaChampionship pic.twitter.com/zliwxr9NHA — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 28, 2024

Soderberg's runner-up finish after a closing 67 boosted his chances of playing in next month's US PGA Championship as he moved to the top of the DP World Tour's Asian Swing, with the top three players in those rankings at the end of next week's Volvo China Open earning a place in the field at Valhalla.

Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin finished six shots off the lead after a closing 65 that started with five consecutive birdies.

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PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund Have Yet to Meet Together

According to a report, the new CEO of the DP World Tour wants an agreement to move quickly, and he also believes European LIV golfers should be able to play in the Ryder Cup.

• Author: Bob Harig

Nearly a year after the shocking “framework agreement’’ was announced between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, all of the parties have yet to formally meet together.

That is according to Guy Kinnings, the new CEO of the DP World Tour, who officially took over from Keith Pelley this month.

Kinnings, in a media session with a small group UK and Irish golf writers in London, discussed his hopes for an agreement and also made clear that the European Ryder Cup rules do not need to be changed for players such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton to be part of the team next year at Bethpage Black.

“From my perspective, all I want to do is make sure we as quickly as possible get the right people around a table to talk about what can a future look like,’’ Kinnnings said in a report from the Scotsman newspaper . “I don’t expect them to go in knowing all the answers. There’s lots of things have to get worked at. What does the product look like, probably from 2026 and beyond? What’s the pathway? What does it mean for things?

“But, until you get into the room with the right people with the right intent to try and find a solution, you are never going to work out a deal and, at the end of the day, this is what is needed right now as quickly as we can. We’ve all seen—even with a great Masters—that TV figures are down. If we listen to the fans, there’s something that needs to get fixed and I see it as a huge opportunity because, if you can unite and go global, that’s exactly what we are all about.’’

The framework agreement was supposed to bring the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF—which backs LIV Golf—together by the end of 2023. That deadline was missed, and since then the PGA Tour has received private equity from a U.S. based consortium of investors called Strategic Sports Group that can be as much as $3 billion.

A plan has been unveiled for PGA Tour players to receive equity in the new PGA Tour Enterprises, a for-profit company. Kinnings said that the PIF’s governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, wants to be part of the group of investors.

“I was talking to the guys from the Strategic Sports Group  and I said ‘listen, we’ve got to get together, we’ve got to pull it all together, we’ve got to find the product that works—it probably won’t be until 2026 but beyond there—and is good for the game, something that fans like and works for everyone.’ But, at the end of the day, it has got to be something that is appealing to them. It’s got to work for all parties and everyone is going to have to do things they don’t necessarily want to, a compromise. But that’s what you do if you strike a deal, it won’t happen until we get everyone in a room together.”

Kinnings also said that players, such as Rahm, who remain a DP World Tour member but pay fines and deal with suspensions for missing conflicting events can still be eligible for the Ryder Cup.

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McIlroy’s proposed return to boardroom ‘incredibly positive’ for PGA Tour

• New chief executive of European Tour group welcomes move
• McIlroy motivated by desire to end split in elite men’s golf

The newly installed chief executive of the European Tour group, Guy Kinnings, has urged the PGA Tour to seize the opportunity provided by Rory McIlroy’s willingness to return to the boardroom to help heal divisions in the game.

The Guardian revealed on Monday that McIlroy will assume roles on the PGA Tour’s policy board and the PGA Tour Enterprises board, subject to a vote on Wednesday. McIlroy is motivated by a strong desire to end the current split in elite men’s golf, where the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Tour are essentially operating independently of each other.

“I would welcome it wholeheartedly,” said Kinnings, who succeeded Keith Pelley this month, of a McIlroy return to a position of power. “It would be an incredibly positive move for the PGA Tour to take but it would be great for everyone.”

Golf’s key constituent parts now involve various tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV. McIlroy enjoys positive relations with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the head of the PIF.

“He takes an interest in so many aspects of the sport,” Kinnings added. “I have known him for a very long time and he is so thoughtful. You think you know what is going on in the game and then you listen to Rory and say: ‘Wow, he has put that so well.’

“You want to have people who are ready to apply that kind of knowledge, experience and thinking. He is very well connected with people at the PGA Tour , the DP World Tour – we rely on him hugely – and also the PIF. He is the right person with those connections [and] would be a huge asset.”

Kinnings is adamant that a “united, global” route is necessary for the sport. “I see this as an amazing opportunity,” he added. “We truly have that, with the right people and voices to help shape it. Tiger [Woods] is involved, I am delighted Rory is looking at this. These are the people who should be helping to shape the game they have given so much to.

“I think it needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed quickly. You need the right people round the table, giving it thought because this is complicated.”

McIlroy would become the only European voice on these PGA Tour committees, which itself is notable. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have a strategic alliance but there has been general concern about European golf being left behind, with focus on the US. “I was always delighted to have European representation,” said Kinnings. “I think it is far better to have a global view and Rory truly has that.

“It is such an important time and he is passionate about reaching this solution that we all agree is in the best interests of the sport globally. So I think he would be so valuable, so constructive. Personally and on behalf of this tour, I would be delighted if he was back playing a very significant role in the important discussions that are ongoing.”

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New DP World Tour boss provides worrying merger update as LIV Golf saga goes on

N ewly appointed DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings stressed that "significant changes" to the top of professional golf would not be in place until after 2025.

The sport has found itself split following the launch of LIV Golf in summer 2022, prompting both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour to rally against players who chose to side with the Saudi-backed league. In an unexpected twist last summer, however, an initial agreement was laid out by the PGA Tour along with the PIF of Saudi Arabia.

The inclusion of the DP World Tour further indicated a potential accord which could mend professional golf's division, but ten months on, no such final agreement has been reached.

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Assuming Keith Pelley's mantle at the top of European golf, Kinnings provided insight into what lies ahead for the sport, emphasizing the gradual nature of upcoming transformations. "We know [a deal] has to be done ASAP," he explained. "I don't see too much changing in 2025. 2026 is when we will see significant changes.

"For us to achieve this, we need 2025 to lay the groundwork. I'm not setting any deadlines. But to devise a new product for 2026, you really need to have it complete by the end of this year. Everyone needs to demonstrate flexibility and willingness to compromise. Once we've identified the appropriate solution, we need to act swiftly.

As it currently stands, the PGA Tour has taken a hardline stance against players who have joined forces with Greg Norman's LIV Golf, resulting in bans for big names like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Jon Rahm. The DP World Tour has followed suit but with slightly less severity.

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The European Tour has been granted authority to impose fines and suspensions on its members who participate in LIV Golf events that clash with DP World Tour tournaments. This has led several golfers, including Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood, to resign their memberships, consequently forfeiting their Ryder Cup eligibility.

This move has sparked concerns that Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton might miss out on representing Europe in the USA next September, despite playing key roles in Team Europe's victory in Rome last fall.

However, CEO Kinnings has offered some reassurance, clarifying the current eligibility criteria for 2023. "If we look at the eligibility criteria for 2023, I think there has been a slight misconception," he stated. "The reality is that, under the current system, if a player is European and is a member of the DP World Tour and abides by the rules in place, he is eligible."

DP World Tour, PGA TOUR expand and strengthen alliance

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* Move is a significant boost to a global pathway for competitive golf

*PGA TOUR to provide operational support and additional investment to the DP World Tour

* DP World Tour prize fund levels set to grow annually

The DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR have moved to significantly strengthen not only their existing alliance but also help develop players to compete at the pinnacle of men’s professional golf, by unveiling a ground-breaking new 13-year operational joint venture partnership.

The partnership, through to 2035, builds on the success of the existing Strategic Alliance between the two Tours that was unveiled in November 2020 and which has already seen tangible benefits for members of both Tours, not least the co-sanctioning of the Genesis Scottish Open on the DP World Tour, alongside access for both memberships into the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship on the PGA TOUR.

Collaboration has already borne fruit for the DP World Tour with the introduction of new tournament title sponsors such as Genesis and Horizon and new Tour partners such as Fortinet and Velocity Global.

In addition, working together to drive prize funds and commercial revenue will not only benefit the entire range of both memberships immediately, but also develop immense strategic opportunities for all members of both Tours for the future.

As part of the new joint venture, the PGA TOUR will increase its existing stake in European Tour Productions from 15 percent to 40 percent, while utilising the DP World Tour’s recognised international credentials and global footprint to continue to coordinate a worldwide schedule.

The DP World Tour will guarantee growth in annual prize funds to its membership for the next five years, all above the record 2022 levels unveiled as part of the DP World Tour title partnership arrangement announced last November.

The new joint venture will provide additional competitive opportunities for professional golfers of both Tours and also establish a clearly defined pathway for top players around the world. Players from the Sunshine Tour and ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, with whom the DP World Tour already has existing Strategic Alliances, now enjoy a formal pathway to the DP World Tour. With today’s announcement, DP World Tour members will now have direct and formal access to the very pinnacle of the men’s professional game on the PGA TOUR.

To achieve that, from 2023, the leading ten players on the end of season DP World Tour Rankings [in addition to those already exempt] will earn PGA TOUR cards for the following season.

Furthermore, the DP World Tour will work closely on the development and implementation of the new international events announced by PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan last week at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and DP World members will gain access to those events.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the DP World Tour said: “Building on the success of the existing Strategic Alliance between ourselves and the PGA TOUR, this move will significantly enhance the meritocracy that has successfully served the professional game on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 50 years.

“It is a natural extension and progression of what we have been doing over the past few years and I passionately believe that this move is the right thing for our players, our Tour, our fans, and the game of golf in general.

“Our two tours have undoubtedly drawn closer over the past few years and today’s announcement strengthens both Tours for the betterment of both memberships.”

Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR, said, “It was clear from the outset that our Strategic Partnership with the European Tour Group was a powerful agreement for both sides, and we are thrilled with today’s announcement of this expanded partnership.

“We will continue to collaborate on a global schedule and key commercial areas as we draw our organizations and memberships even closer together while innovating to provide the most entertaining and compelling golf possible to fans around the world. On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I want to credit and commend Keith Pelley and his team at the European Tour Group for their incredible commitment to this effort.”

Five things to know: ISPS HANDA - CHAMPIONSHIP

The DP World Tour visits a new course this week in Japan as the ISPS HANDA - CHAMPIONSHIP marks the penultimate regular event of the Asian Swing.

All to play for as Asian Swing continues

The  ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP  returns for its second edition in Japan this week, marking the penultimate event in the Asian Swing.

As with the four other Global Swings, the Asian Swing will have its own champion who will earn $200,000 from an overall $1million bonus pool.

Swing champions will also qualify for each of the  Back 9  events, where players will play for increased Race to Dubai ranking points.

The leading DP World Tour member (not otherwise exempt) will also qualify for the  Genesis Scottish Open , the second of five Rolex Series events this season.

But in an another exciting reward for DP World Tour members, those who finish in positions one to three in the final Asian Swing standings (at the conclusion of the Volvo China Open) will be exempt into the  U.S. PGA Championship  at Valhalla Golf Club from May 16-19.

As it stands, Keita Nakajima, Jesper Svensson and Kiradech Aphibarnrat sit in the top three positions on the rankings, but with a tight leaderboard, anyone down to T-58 can go top with a win in Japan.

Mount Fiji provides backdrop to new venue on the DP World Tour

With views of Mount Fuji offering a spectacular backdrop to this year's tournament, Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course will play host on the DP World Tour for the first time this week, following on from last year's event at PGM Ishioka GC.

The par 70 layout, which plays at 7262 yards and is described by the club as a 'true hillside course', was designed in 1977 by Shunsuke Kato and is the flagship layout of Taineiyo Club's 18 courses. Situated 100km southwest of Tokyo, the course underwent a renovation in 2018 overseen by Rees Jones with consultation from Major Champion Hideki Matsuyama.

No stranger to elite competitions, the course has staged the Taiheiyo Masters on the Japan Golf Tour every year since its opening in 1977. It has also played host to the 2001 World Cup of Golf, won by South African duo Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and will also stage this year's Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in October.

Japanese stars in action

A host of players will be hoping to become the latest Japanese stars to make their mark after a record-breaking six months that has seen three champions crowned on the DP World Tour.

Keita Nakajima became the latest name to break through at the Hero Indian Open at the end of March, just 49 days after compatriot Rikuya Hoshino earned his own maiden title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Last season, Ryo Hisatsune became just the third player in history - following Hideki Matsuyama (2021 Masters) and Isao Aoki (1983 Panasonic European Open) to lift a DP World Tour title at the 2023 Cazoo Open de France.

With the event co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour, Nakajima is joined in the field this week by 45 other players hoping to impress the home fans at a venue that is very well-known to them. Those include the likes of Takumi Kanaya, Kazuki Higa, Masahiro Kawamura, Ryo Ishikawa (a three-time champion on this course) and Hideto Tanihara (a two-time winner on this course)- who all have several previous top ten finishes in DP World Tour events.

ISPS HANDA continues support of golf

ISPS HANDA was founded by the Japanese philanthropist, Dr Haruhisa Handa, in 2006 in the belief that sport has the power to inspire, transform, and unite people and communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.

The DP World Tour and ISPS HANDA have collaborated on several events during a long-standing relationship, in turn raising the profile of golf as an accessible sport for all.

This was seen recently with ISPS HANDA backing the Australian All Abilities Championship – an event that features on the European Tour group’s G4D Tour schedule – at the end of last year.

Previous events ISPS HANDA has supported on the DP World Tour include the ISPS HANDA Wales Open (2012-14 and 2020), ISPS HANDA Perth International (2012-14 and 2016), ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf (2013, 2016, 2018), (ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth (2017-19), ISPA HANDA Vic Open (2019-20), ISPS HANDA UK Championship (2020), ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management (2021), ISPS HANDA Championship in Spain (2022) and ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics (2019, 21-23).

Inside the field

Matthieu Pavon is the top-ranked player in the field this week, having reached a career-high in the Official World Golf Ranking with a tie for 12th on his Masters debut earlier this month.

The French star, who won his first PGA TOUR title earlier this year, is joined in action by fellow ISPS HANDA ambassadors Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who are also fellow winners on the DP World Tour.

Jesper Svensson, who like Nakajima has won his first DP World Tour title during the Asian Swing, is aiming to strengthen his bid for a first Major start at next month’s U.S. PGA Championship, while Matteo Manassero and Jordan Gumberg are this season’s other winners teeing it up.

New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori, who has guaranteed DP World Tour status for next season by finishing top of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, is another rising star to watch out for.

Former DP World Tour winners Renato Paratore and Tom Lewis are among the Qualifying School graduates looking to make an impression, while could we see a third Challenge Tour graduate from the class of 2023 win this season after Matteo Manassero and Jesper Svensson?

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