This note from europeantour.com
After his practice round on yesterday, Martin Kaymer confirmed that he, like Lee Westwood, will not be joining the US PGA Tour next season.
The blows to the American circuit have been coming thick and fast, with Rory McIlroy announcing that he is giving up membership next year to concentrate on Europe again.
"Schedule-wise it doesn't really fit to play both," stated Kaymer. "I consider the European Tour as my home - I think you play against the best players in the world. You have all of the great players here."
When Kaymer says ' you have all the top players here' a look at the World Rankings confirms that 12 of the world's top 20 are European Tour members, and Tiger is only at #2 because of the 2 year system golf uses to calibrate the points. He certainly hasn't been in the top 25 this year. 39 of the top 50 have European tour membership
That doesn't mean several of those do not have homes in the States and play the PGA tour as well. Ian Poulter recently moved to Florida and the ultimate globe trotter Ernie Els did as well. Adam Scott and Luke Donald also have homes in the US.
Part of the problem for Euro tour members playing on the PGA tour according to Gordon Simpson the Media Director, European tour is that" members must play 12 for us at the moment and that will rise to 13 in 2011 season. It is 15 on the PGA Tour, and as for the Fed-Ex Cup – the 4 weeks clash with the main holiday weeks for the schoolkids in the UK."
Lee Westwood for one does not want to miss those holidays with his family, nor does he need to anymore.
George O'Grady is the CEO of the tour now but it was the insight of his predecessor Ken Schofield to incorporate the Tunisian Open into the schedule in 1982, then the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1992 that has paved the way to the European tour's co-sanctioned events around the world, including China and the events we have been watching recently in Singapore and Hong Kong.
For a tour that started in 1972 playing for 250,000 pounds it has grown to 51 tournaments in 26 countries for over 93 million pounds and the Challenge tour has 33 tournaments in 24 countries, and their Senior Tour is growing as well.
They now have a European HQ at Wentworth and an International office right in Dubai..
Top European tour players will still build their schedules around the 4 majors and the 4 World Golf Championship events ( 6 of those are in the States) but those like McIlroy, Westwood and now Kaymer can be rewarded handsomely now concentrating the rest of their schedule on the Race to Dubai without having to play on the PGA tour..
World Rankings ( * denotes European Tour member)
*1 Lee Westwood, Eng 8.57
2 Tiger Woods, USA 8.07
*3 Martin Kaymer, Deu 7.87
4 Phil Mickelson, USA 7.46
5 Steve Stricker, USA 6.81
6 Jim Furyk, USA 6.77
*7 Paul Casey, Eng 6.05
*8 Luke Donald, Eng 5.83
*9 Graeme McDowell, Nir 5.68
*10 Rory McIlroy, Nir 5.57
*11 Ian Poulter, Eng 5.29
12 Matt Kuchar, USA 5.17
*13 Ernie Els, Zaf 5.15
14 Dustin Johnson, USA 4.91
*15 Francesco Molinari, Ita 4.53
*16 Edoardo Molinari, Ita 4.34
17 Hunter Mahan, USA 4.26
*18 Retief Goosen, Zaf 4.21
*19 Adam Scott, Aus 3.93
20 Zach Johnson, USA 3.92
(Going into the final event of the European Tour season, Kaymer has a lead of €290,910 over Graeme McDowell, his only remaining challenger, at the top of The Race to Dubai.
However both Kaymer and McDowell would walk away with €1,902,418 for the bonus pool and €910,348 for the first prize should either win.!!!)
Bryan Angus
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