Euro players on the PGA and North Americans on the Euro Tour?
Posted in Golf by andre
July 28th, 2009
kenny_scarface asked:
Do players on the European PGA Tour have to qualify for US events and vice versa, or are they automatically allowed in?
Question posted courtesy of: Caffeinated Content
Do players on the European PGA Tour have to qualify for US events and vice versa, or are they automatically allowed in?
Question posted courtesy of: Caffeinated Content
July 28th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
The tours’ names are in geography only. Convenience is the primary reason why most “locals” play their home circuit.
That’s the short answer. The long version digs into the “how” of qualifying for events and earning tour cards, but it’s also blind to a golfer’s nationality. Even that is a broad stroke since many tour events around the world offer exemptions to “locals” or other regional golfers to help promote and market the game in the vicinity of the event.
(If this isn’t a satisfactory response, please contact me directly.)
July 28th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Depends on the event.
Events that are flagged as Invitational tournaments are just that.
WGC events are based on World Rankings.
Each Major has its own criteria for exempt players; World Ranking is used, past performance in majors is used, and there are numerous other factors and criteria in place to ensure the best and most competitive field possible.
Failing that, each tournament has sponsor exemptions that are used by the tournament.
Even without a PGA Tour card, a top-tier player on the European Tour can get into at least 10-12 events in the US (WGC events, majors, etc.).
A player with a top-10 finish is automatically eligible for entry into the following week’s event (even with no status on tour).