Tag: DP World Tour

More issues at a pro golf tournament in South Africa — this time it’s another torrential downpour

More rain is in the forecast for Sunday, bringing into question if more golf will be played.

It’s been another difficult week for a professional tournament abroad — this time at the South African Open, held at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

Last week, the DP World Tour — formally known as the European Tour — was scheduled to kick off its 2021-22 season at the Joburg Open, but experts from the World Health Organization met to assess a COVID-19 variant in South Africa that has been rapidly spreading among young people and had already spawned numerous mutations, according to a story by USA TODAY.

The variant has been dubbed “omicron” and classified a “variant of concern,” the most worrying type by the WHO and one of the first indicators that it is worth considering as an increased threat. The tournament was nearly canceled and then a rough week of weather finally halted it at the midpoint, as Thriston Lawrence was given the trophy after just 36 holes.

This week, an impressive field stuck to commitments and arrived at the SA Open Championship, including PGA Tour players Garrick Higgo, Dylan Frittelli, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Before play began a number of players were forced from the field as Dylan Mostert, Teaghan Gauche, Siyanda Mwandla, and Darren Fichardt all tested positive for COVID.

Then on Saturday, during the third round of play, a dramatic thunderstorm rolled through the area, bringing some intense, wet weather.

Due to the weather, organizers couldn’t fit in the end of the third round, and although the plan is to get players out early Sunday before cranking up the final round, another rainy day is expected for the region.

Justin Harding, who has a pair of victories on the European Tour, is currently in the lead at 11 under while Daniel van Tonder and Oliver Bekker trail by a single stroke.

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Adam Scott, UNIQLO to host AJGA tournament in Los Angeles in 2022

The UNIQLO Adam Scott Junior Golf Championship is bound for L.A. in February.

A handful of the world’s best junior golfers will be bound for Los Angeles in 2022 for a new tournament hosted by a PGA Tour star.

On Tuesday it was announced that apparel retailer UNIQLO and the American Junior Golf Association would hold the UNIQLO Adam Scott Junior Golf Championship at River Ridge Golf Club in Los Angeles, Feb. 18-21, 2022.

The AJGA, Japan Golf Association and Golf Australia will team up and select 78 players, ages 12-18, to compete. Scott, a 14-time winner on the PGA Tour and the 2013 Masters champion, will host a discussion and run a clinic with participants.

“It is a great honor to host such a wonderful tournament with UNIQLO, which we have been working with for many years. When I was a junior player, I learned not only the fun of playing golf, but also about other important things in life, such as honesty and respect,” said Scott via a press release. “Together with UNIQLO, we have created a tournament we hope will be a valuable learning opportunity for young people.”

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‘A true trailblazer and gentleman:’ Golf world reacts to the passing of Masters legend Lee Elder

One word constantly came up when describing Elder.

The game of golf has lost a legendary ambassador.

On Monday it was announced that Lee Elder, who became the first Black man to compete in the Masters Tournament in 1975 at Augusta National Golf Club, has died. He was 87 years old.

At the 2021 Masters, Elder joined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as an honorary starter on the first tee, but was unable to swing due to his health. As the news broke, the golf world reacted on social media to honor the pioneer for diversity in the game.

Here’s a sampling of how the golf world reacted to the passing of the trailblazing Lee Elder.

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PGA Tour

Jack Nicklaus

U.S. Ryder Cup team

LPGA

Harold Varner III

USGA

Sports Illustrated

DP World Tour

Masters

PGA of America

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DP World Tour debut tournament shortened to 36 holes, Thriston Lawrence captures first win

COVID-19 shortened it first, then heavy rain left the course unplayable.

The DP World Tour, formally known as the European Tour, along with the Sunshine Tour and city of Johannesburg decided on Friday to shorten the Joburg Open to 54-holes in an effort “to help non-South African resident players, caddies, and tournament support staff return to their home countries.”

This move was forced by a new COVID-19 variant spreading through South Africa dubbed “omicron.”

The debut tournament for the DP World Tour suffered weather delays on Thursday and Friday, and the inclement storms continued on Saturday. Due to lightning storms and heavy rain, large parts of Randpark GC were left unplayable.

So after just 36 holes, a champion was crowned.

Thriston Lawrence, who has only played in 21 events on the Euro Tour since 2014, fired back-to-back 65s to win by four shots over Zander Lombard. The 25-year-old South African arrived this week with an affiliate membership to the DP World Tour, but because of his win, now has exemption until 2023.

Thriston Lawrence of South Africa celebrates with the trophy following a 36-hole victory of the JOBURG Open at Randpark Golf Club on November 27, 2021, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

The next two stops on the original DP World Tour schedule were both slatted to take place in South Africa. Those events, due to the COVID-19 variant, have already been removed from the Tour’s website.

As it stands now, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the next up, scheduled for January 20-23.

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Discovery of COVID variant in South Africa rocks DP World Tour

The season-opening event will go on, but the next two events were removed from official schedule.

The tour formally known as the European Tour was scheduled to kick off its 2021-22 season with three consecutive events in South Africa. The first round of the DP World Tour’s first event at the Joburg Open was hampered by inclement weather and eventually postponed by lightning.

Friday brought worse news.

Experts with the World Health Organization are meeting to assess a COVID-19 variant in South Africa that has been rapidly spreading among young people and has already spawned numerous mutations, according to a story by USA TODAY.

Several nations, including Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Japan, have responded to news of the variant by moving Friday to restrict air travel from several southern African countries. The European Union, which is made up of 27 nations, is also recommending a ban on flights from southern African countries, despite WHO officials warning against rash decisions.

The Washington Post reports that global financial markets are already reacting, with the Dow Jones industrial average sinking more than 800 points after news of the discovery of a coronavirus variant in South Africa.

The DP World Tour released a statement indicating South Africa has been placed on the travel red list but still plans to forge ahead and complete the Joburg Open as planned on Sunday.

The two events after that have already been dropped from the DP World Tour’s official website. The South African Open Championship, Dec. 2-5, which was co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour, will now just be a Sunshine Tour event. The Alfred Dunhill Championship, which was scheduled for Dec. 9-13, has been canceled altogether, due to, according to the DP World Tour, the adverse effect the travel restrictions will have on the field.

Also in the USA TODAY report: scientists have little information about the variant and its potential for danger right now, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 technical lead, on Thursday.

“What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations, and the concern is that when you have so many mutations it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” said Van Kerkhove.

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European Tour is now the DP World Tour and its new season starts this week in South Africa

The DP World Tour begins its 50th year of existence at the Joburg Open in South Africa on Thursday.

Last season is so last week.

The circuit formally known as the European Tour concluded its season last Sunday when Collin Morikawa became the first American to win both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai title.

This week, the new season is here already, and with that, a new name.

Now called the DP World Tour, the circuit kicks off its 50th year of existence at the Joburg Open in South Africa on Thursday. The tour will have 47 tournaments in 27 countries with more than $200 million in prize money up for grabs.

The tour will also feature three tournaments that are co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour: the Genesis Scottish Open, the Barbasol Championship, and the Barracuda Championship—the latter two taking place in the United States—as a result of the “Strategic Alliance” between the tours.

A video posted on Wednesday to promote the new season features appearances by Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Billy Horschel, and even Annika Sorenstam, among others.

In addition to tournament riches, three spots into the 150th Open Championship, to be held at historic St. Andrews July 14-17, 2022, are on the line this week.

The top three who finish in the top 10 and ties at the Joburg Open who are not already exempt will earn a spot. The Joburg is the first event in the Open Qualifying Series.

There are four golfers in the field at the Joburg who are already exempt for St. Andrews: Dean Burmester, Dylan Frittelli, Justin Harding, and Shaun Norris.

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Collin Morikawa closes with 66, makes history on European Tour at DP World Tour Championship

“It’s special, it’s an honor, really, to be the first American to do that on the European Tour,” said Collin Morikawa.

Collin Morikawa made history Sunday, becoming the first American to win both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai title after his victory in the European Tour’s season-ending tournament in Dubai.

Morikawa started the final day three shots back of Rory McIlroy and then started Sunday’s round with six straight pars. Morikawa got his first birdie on the day on No. 7.

Then on the back nine, he caught fire, making birdies on five of his last seven holes, including 17 and 18, to close with a 66 to claim a three-shot win over Matthew Fitzpatrick and Alexander Bjork.

“It’s special, it’s an honor, really, to be the first American to do that on the European Tour, to put my name against many, many great Hall of Famers, it’s special,” he said.

Morikawa’s irons were sharp once again. On the 15th hole, he stuffed his approach to eight feet. On the 16th, out of a fairway bunker, he landed his ball 20 feet away to save par. He stuck one within 10 feet on the 17th.

“Two years ago, it wasn’t my thought. It was, ‘yeah, let’s go play around the world’ but we didn’t know what the cards were going to be dealt,” he said. “To have this chance and finally close it out, and not just closing it out with a top 10 or something, but to actually win the DP World Tour Championship, which concluded with the Race to Dubai, not a better way to finish.”

Billy Horschel finished second in the Race, while Jon Rahm, who skipped the season-finale, was third.

Before the tournament started, Morikawa was granted Honorary Life Membership on the tour, just the fifth American golfer—joining Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Patrick Reed—to receive that recognition.

McIlroy, meanwhile, shot a 2-over 74 and in an odd scene after the tournament, could be seen in the clubhouse looking at his phone with his shirt apparently ripped open.

This event puts a close on the European Tour’s season, and there will be no break before the start of the new season, as the Joburg Open in South Africa starts on Thursday. And with the new season comes a new name for the tour. Heading into its 50th year of existence, it will be known as the DP World Tour.

As a result of the title sponsorship, total prize money will exceed the $200 million mark for the first time. Also for the first time, the tour will feature three tournaments co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour – the Genesis Scottish Open, as well as the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship taking place in the United States – as a result of the “Strategic Alliance” between male professional golf’s two leading Tours.

Adam Schupak contributed to this article.

Despite chance to win Race to Dubai, Jon Rahm withdraws from European Tour season finale

The tour finale won’t include a two-time champion and the No. 3 player on its points standings.

The European Tour will be without a two-time champion and the No. 3 player on its points standings for next week’s season finale.

World No. 1 Jon Rahm withdrew from the DP World Tour Championship on Sunday, citing the need to rest and spend time with his family. Rahm won the Race to Dubai money title in 2019 and has twice won the tour’s season finale in 2017 and 2019.

“After lengthy discussions with my team, I have come to the difficult decision not to travel to Dubai next week. The demands of a long season with many ups and downs has taken a lot out of me. I feel I need to take time to recharge my batteries while spending quality time with my family,” Rahm said via a statement. “I would like to take this opportunity to wish DP World and the European Tour all the best for the season-ending event, which is always such a special tournament.”

It’s been a long year to say the least for Rahm, who is now a father after wife, Kelly, gave birth to baby Kepa before the Masters.

In 22 PGA Tour events last season, Rahm made the cut in all but one and earned 15 top-10s. The 27-year-old Spaniard won his first major at the U.S. Open in June at Torrey Pines just two weeks after being forced to withdraw from the Memorial with a six-shot lead after 54 holes due to a positive COVID-19 test. Another positive test kept Rahm from traveling to the Tokyo Olympics.

In nine European Tour starts in 2021, six were either majors or WGC events, where he finished: T-32 (WGC-Workday), T-5 (WGC-Match Play), T-5 (Masters), T-8 (PGA Championship), 1 (U.S. Open) and T-3 (British Open). He also finished seventh at the abrdn Scottish Open, T-17 at the Spanish Open and T-99 at the Andalucia Masters.

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European Tour sells naming rights for the circuit, to be called DP World Tour in 2022 season

The European Tour has sold its naming rights and will be known as the DP World Tour beginning in 2022.

The European Tour has a new name.

Beginning with the start of the 2022 season, its 50th year of existence, which begins at the Joburg Open in South Africa, from November 22-25, it will be known as the DP World Tour.

As a result of the title sponsorship, total prize money will exceed the $200 million mark for the first time (including majors and WGC’s and $140 million without them), with a new minimum prize fund of $2 million for all tournaments solely sanctioned by the DP World Tour. In addition, the DP World Tour Championship, the season finale and final Rolex Series tournament of 2022, will become the first European Tour event in history outside the majors and WGCs to feature an eight-figure prize fund ($10 million).

In 2022, the DP World Tour will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments in 27 different countries, including new tournaments in the UAE, Japan, South Africa and Belgium and an expanded Rolex Series comprising five events: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

For the first time, it will also feature three tournaments co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour – the Genesis Scottish Open, as well as the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship taking place in the United States – as a result of the “Strategic Alliance” between male professional golf’s two leading Tours.

DP World, a provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions headquartered in Dubai, first became associated with the European Tour as sponsor of its Race to Dubai in 2009, before the Rolex Series event was renamed the DP World Tour Championship in 2012. It was in this year that DP World became the tournament’s title partner. DP World then became an official partner of the European Tour in 2015.

“The DP World Tour is a natural evolution of our decade-long partnership, and the presence of ‘World’ in our new title better reflects our global reach.,” said Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour group.

Added Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA Tour and board member of the European Tour: “Our respective Tours are positioned to grow – together – over the next 10 years faster than we ever have at any point in our existence, and today’s announcement is another point of proof in those efforts.”

To view the full 2022 schedule, please click here.

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