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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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FIRE PIT COLLECTIVE

Why this week’s KFT Q School forced some players into hard choices

Editor's Note: This article first appeared in Fire Pit Collective , a Golf Digest content partner.

Steve Dykes

In a professional golfer’s mind, securing tour status is somewhere between inspiring hopes and unattainable dreams. Q School season is winding down, and talented professional golfers and hopeless dreamers alike have embarked on another qualifying odyssey. The entry fees are steep, the travel costs high, and the competition merciless. To make matters more complicated, the landscape has changed. A massive amount of money has been showered upon the game, and there has never been a better time to be an established and, especially, elite player. But what about everyone else? What does the steep ascent to the top of professional golf look like when you’re at the bottom?

At the end of every season, aspiring professional golfers take inventory of their bankrolls, skills, mettle, family situation and more and make one of the biggest decisions of their careers: which qualifying school to enter. Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour Q School are held in the fall. Both have three main stages to navigate, and for KFT newcomers, an additional pre-qualifying stage. As players advance deeper into the stages, the dates of the Q Schools overlap.

Rico Hoey graduated from Southern California in 2017 and won in his first season on PGA Tour Canada. He recorded three top-10 finishes in his first season on the KFT in 2018, narrowly keeping his card. After failing to measure up the past few seasons, he ran the Q School gauntlet this fall.

“No matter what Q School I do, I just want to get on a tour and play there,” Hoey (below) says. “Once the prices came out, it was pretty shocking.” The $6,500 price tag to enter KFT Q School was steep, but he decided it was worth the risk. DPWT Q School had been on a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, but the $2,200 cost didn’t change.

Wesley Hitt

“I decided to try both,” Hoey says. “I always knew if I got to the final stage of both, I’d choose the Korn Ferry Tour. If I didn’t make it through KFT, at least I had the DP World Tour as a backup.” Hoey was unwavering at the first and second stage of KFT Q School, advancing after finishing T-10 and T-6. Between stages, he traveled to Denmark for DPWT Q School, but the rain and cold dampened his momentum, and he failed to advance.

Jhared Hack is a past champion of the Western Junior and Western Amateur and was a top professional prospect when he left the University of Central Florida in 2009. He has played three seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour since, with a handful of PGA Tour and DPWT starts to his name. In recent years he battled the driver yips, but he slowly worked his way back to the brink of the big time. Last year he spent an entire practice round vibrating on another frequency, shooting a 15-under-par 57 at Las Vegas Golf Club. He posted a final-round 63 to win the Arizona Open. Still, he had minimal financial support this season, so Hack carefully weighed his Q School choices.

“First thing was the monetary value: $2,200 vs $6,500,” he recalls. “I’m gonna get a life experience from one of those. I’d never been to Italy.” Hack focused all of his energy and resources on DPWT Q School, in part because of the ultimate carrot: As part of the strategic alliance between the PGA Tour and the DPWT, the top 10 finishers at the end of the DPWT season will earn PGA Tour cards. Last month Hack traveled to Italy, shot 14 under and advanced to the second stage by four shots. “Beautiful to see,” Hack says in reflecting on the experience. “I stayed for a few extra days and got to see the Swiss Alps, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

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Stuart Macdonald is Canadian and a 2016 Purdue graduate. Macdonald fell just shy of gaining his PGA Tour card in 2021, finishing outside the top 25 on the KFT Finals points list, at 33rd. That season he had four top 10s in a stretch of five events. When a middling 2022 season left him without tour status, Macdonald signed up for both Q Schools.

“At the time when I decided to do DP, it was solely on the idea that I wanted status badly somewhere,” Macdonald says. “I wanted to have two chances essentially.” He excelled at first and second stage of KFT Q School and advanced through DPWT first stage. “It’s so important to get status this year because of what the future looks like,” he says.

With billions of dollars fueling the rise of LIV Golf and forcing the PGA Tour’s frantic restructuring, golfers trying to play their way to the top feel a particular urgency. In 2023, the PGA Tour will have 13 elevated events, each with a $20 million purse; the top 70 players are exempt into those. Players outside the top 70 are fighting desperately to move up, but until they do, they will be relegated to lesser tournaments. Jack Nicklaus expressed concern about non-elevated events, specifically the long-running Honda Classic, calling these tournaments “feeders.” Tournament directors from non-elevated events and others around the Tour have expressed similar concerns about an expanding chasm between players and events that were instrumental in building the tour. As for those players trying to move up, they are fighting a stiff headwind.

The Korn Ferry Tour is undergoing its own changes. Purses next season will increase from $750,000 to $1 million per event, a move that was announced well before LIV’s debut. The number of PGA Tour cards awarded at the end of the next KFT season will increase from 25 to 30. The tour has eliminated its three-event postseason, called the KFT Finals, at which 25 additional cards were awarded. The KFT Finals was open to the top 75 players on KFT and players ranked 126 through 200 on the final FedEx Cup standings from the PGA Tour. Players ranked 26 through 30 at the end of the year will undoubtedly be grateful, but the elimination of the Finals could mean a loss of PGA Tour cards, or at least an opportunity, for KFT members. Excelling early in the KFT season is now essential.

“I always felt like I wanted to get my tour card in the regular season because I felt like you earned it a little more,” Macdonald says, adding that the schedule changes will probably make the Korn Ferry Tour more competitive.

Hoey agrees. “It just makes it that much harder,” he says. “You need to win.”

As the KFT season winds down and the order of merit points accumulate, it will become more difficult to make a meaningful move up the points list. The KFT Finals gave hope to players looking for another avenue to secure their PGA Tour cards. In some cases, one hot week did the trick. Previously, some KFT members who had locked up their KFT cards for the following season but weren’t close to winning a PGA Tour card might have taken an event or two off to rest before the Finals. That created more opportunities for players farther down the standings. Without the three-event Finals, the end of a KFT season probably will be must-play. It most certainly will be exhausting and pressure-packed.

“You gotta play better,” Hoey says. “It’s not just about retaining your card now. Playing opportunities are going to get tougher and tougher. You just have to adapt. All I care about right now is to get starts and go play.” While the significant bump in KFT purses is welcomed, it’s long overdue. For players in the highest level of golf’s minor leagues, the pursuit isn’t getting any cheaper.

J.T. Griffin is a former Georgia Tech standout who graduated to the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017. From 2019 to ’21, Griffin accumulated five top-10 finishes on the KFT, but he only maintained conditional status for the 2022 season. He and his fiancee, Mary Kaitlyn, had their first child, Graham, in early 2021. After failing to advance through Q School this season, he is now questioning the feasibility of playing professional golf with a young family.

“I was in the 76-to-85 category this year,” says Griffin, referring to his final KFT ranking. “In April I no longer had health coverage. If you’re under the PGA Tour umbrella, how are you not covered health insurance-wise? I can’t go to the doctor.” The PGA Tour provides a generous health insurance stipend for full members of the Korn Ferry Tour, or those who finish in the top 75, but not for conditional members. Griffin (below) says he spent about $75,000 a year in expenses, and despite maintaining conditional status after the 2020-21 season, when he made 19 cuts in 38 starts, he had little to show for it.

“I need to do something for Graham and my family,” says Griffin. “I was on the Korn Ferry Tour and I couldn’t afford to be on the Korn Ferry Tour. I’ve been talking to some friends who were right at 75. And I was like, ‘Hey, man, what is your end of the year?’ And they’re like, ‘I didn’t make anything.’ You’re a professional athlete on one of the biggest stages in our sport and there’s nothing. And we will continue to come back because the PGA Tour is that cool. You get a taste of it and you’ll chase it until it kills you and everyone around you.”

Some 10,000 miles away, opportunity calls louder than ever. The Asian Tour has suddenly become an attractive option for players from the West. LIV committed $300 million to the Asian Tour over the next 10 years, and purses are expanding. (For the elevated International Series events, purses are expected to be between $2 million and $4 million.) And for the first time ever, an early stage of Asian Tour Q School will be held in the U.S., in Arizona later this month. The implications could be far-reaching.

After graduating from Yale, James Nicholas gained status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2020 season. He won the 2020 New York State Open and had three top-20 finishes on KFT in the 2020-21 season. Last month he advanced through the first stage of KFT Q School in Mobile, Ala., then immediately flew across the Atlantic for DWPT Q School, where he failed to qualify. The following week, he was back in Alabama for the second stage of KFT Q School. Understandably fatigued, Nicholas struggled.

So he turned his attention to the Asian Tour. “I want to play on the PGA Tour,” Nicholas says. “But you do need to make a decision when you’re going to Q School and you don’t get through, to find a place to play. To find a place to hone your skills. You have to support yourself financially. I think the strength of field over there (Asian Tour) is going to be way better; that’s why you get more World Ranking points.”

What will probably give some players pause from embarking on an Asian adventure is the lack of a clear pathway leading back home. LIV has said the top player from the Asian Tour International Series will be promoted to its tour. The opportunity to play for one spot, however, is unlikely to drive the long-term decisions of many players. The Asian Tour is more likely to host LIV players in search of World Ranking points than the other way around. Still, millions of dollars in prize money and the chance to travel the world will entice many.

“I was going to sign up for Asian Q School if I didn’t get through Italy,” Hack says. “But all the sites are full. All my friends are wait-listed. Apparently that Arizona site filled up in five minutes.”

“My goal is to play on the PGA Tour, it’s not to play over in Asia for 10 years,” Nicholas says. “My hope is I play one year over there, win a couple times and get my World Ranking points high enough to get a couple of [PGA Tour] invites.”

“It seems like some doors are closing and some doors are opening,” Macdonald says.

The doors quietly closing are on the lowest levels of PGA Tour sanctioned competition. PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada are the entry-level circuits for the PGA Tour. Tour benefits are structured similarly between the two tours, and purses are about $175,000. Events span provinces, countries and in the case of Latinoamerica, continents.

“It’s expensive to travel through Latin America. It’s not easy. Same with Canada,” says Nicholas, who played often in Canada this season. “You can be playing pretty decent golf and lose $20,000 to $30,000 in the span of 10 weeks.”

The value of a strong performance on PGA Tour Latinoamerica has recently been diminished. Consistent with past seasons, the top player will earn full status on the Korn Ferry Tour. Players ranked second through fifth will gain conditional KFT status, but they will have to go to the second stage of Q School to improve their positions. In past seasons, players ranked 2 through 10 received conditional status on KFT through an exemption to the final stage of Q School. Players ranked sixth through 10th won’t receive KFT status. Players ranked 11th through 25th had gained an exemption to the second stage of Q School, but that perk has been eliminated. Although the same changes haven’t been announced for PGA Tour Canada, players anticipate that’s only a matter of time.

The reduction of benefits and stagnated purses on PGA Tour Latinoamerica resulted in fewer signups for three of its four qualifying tournaments. This is a major departure from past seasons and an ominous sign for the tour. Before deciding to play Asian Tour Q School, Nicholas (below) signed up for PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

“I heard a rumor that Latin (Tour) was slashing their spots,” Nicholas says. “I spent $1,750 on Q School not knowing that only one player was going to get guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, when it was five the year before. The big thing for me was a top 20 used to get exempt to the second stage (of KFT Q School) and now it’s only top 10.” Despite his preference to remain closer to home, Nicholas withdrew from Latinoamerica Q School and looked to Asia.

“I think traveling through Asia would be just as hard as traveling through Latin America,” says Nicholas, who adds that there were few advantages to playing the Latinoamerica circuit. “If you finished 11th on the money list, it meant you probably won a tournament and you had to go back to the first stage of Q School.”

With their small purses and high travel costs, these development circuits relied on the enticement of potential exemptions to the next level. With those drying up, more players may consider spending their resources elsewhere.

Griffin played in nine PGA Tour Canada events in 2022 and had a pair of top-10 finishes, securing PGA Tour Canada status for next year. “You’re kind of in purgatory when you’re on any of the tours that aren’t the PGA Tour,” he says. “How do I have that conversation with Mary Kaitlyn and Graham? Hey, I’m gonna be gone all summer, and if we’re lucky we won’t spend any of our money. We can’t put any money in your college fund, and don’t get sick because we can’t afford to take you to the doctor.”

“Reading about the Latinoamerica Tour, it was kind of shocking because at this point it’s like, what’s the point of having this tour?” Hoey asks. “Do you want those guys to advance at all?”

Hack played multiple seasons on both the Latinoamerica circuit and PGA Tour Canada. He still sees a benefit for aspiring pros to compete on these tours. “The way I look at all these events is I’m just buying experience,” he says. “You’re buying an experience to use for Q School.”

The good news for professional golf hopefuls is that Q School is returning to glory. For the first time since 2012, it will offer a direct pathway to the PGA Tour. The top five and ties at the final stage of 2023 Q School will get to play for the big bucks. Fans who have glanced at golf headlines over the past six months know some PGA Tour events are getting massive purse bumps. “It’s great that [the PGA Tour] magically found a couple hundred million,” Phil Mickelson quipped at a recent LIV press conference. “That’s awesome.” It’s a line repackaged around every level of professional golf. The entry fee for next year’s Q School will be anybody’s guess. What we do know is that the opportunity to win one of those coveted PGA Tour cards is getting more difficult.

“Everyone is just so much better,” Hack says. “Cuts that used to be 1 or 2 under par are 5 or 6 under now. Look at annual sites for Q School like Plantation Preserve (a second-stage site for KFT Q School). I think I’ve gotten through there twice and the cut’s been six under, and it took 13 under this year. Yeah, the weather might have been a little better, but players are just getting better.”

It wasn’t the increased depth of the competition that ended Hack’s Q School run, however. His usually precise iron game and deft touch around the greens abandoned him at second stage of DPWT Q School. He’s now facing another season without a tour to compete on. “I couldn’t scrape it in any way at all,” Hack says. “I’m shocked and frustrated for sure.”

Junior golfers grow up dreaming about a career on the PGA Tour and contending in majors. As juniors become skilled collegians, those dreams become goals and then pursuits. For the top collegiate prospects, taking advantage of sponsor exemptions was a way to earn status on tour. With limits on the number of sponsor exemptions a rising star can accept, however, few turn those opportunities into tangible status. Many are relegated to the first stage of Q School or a developmental tour. Then there’s 22-year-old Eugenio Chacarra, who decided to forgo his senior year at Oklahoma State to sign with LIV. Last month he won the LIV even t in Bangkok, a $4 million payday. Chacarra (below) has been joined on LIV by two other top college players: David Puig from Arizona State and James Piot from Michigan State.

Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf

Does this mean the fuel that ignites ambitious players everywhere is changing? Is it now all about the Benjamins?

Macdonald sees new and uncertain pathways to earn a living as a professional golfer. “Money has become the driver,” he says. “I mean, it always has been, but more so now. I just think for so many players it fogs their vision of what their dreams were of playing professional golf and what that looks like. It’s not as clear anymore.” After a disheartening T-126 finish at the final stage of KFT Q School, where the top 40 finishers earned guaranteed starts for next season, Macdonald faces more uncertainty. “I’m just kind of, like, confused,” he says. “I couldn’t get out of my own way after the first day. It just wasn’t easy. It’s obviously an important week. It was a long week.” His path back to the Korn Ferry Tour next season will run through Monday qualifiers. “Definitely going to get after the Mondays,” Macdonald says. “I’ll be on that grind for a little bit. Hopefully not too long.”

Hoey, who turned 27 in September, is focused on reaching the PGA Tour. “It is cool to see the money is growing,” he says. “That’s the biggest thing. It’s really enticing. I just hope some of that money filters down to the Korn Ferry Tour.” Like Macdonald, Hoey was also in the enviable position of having a tee time at KFT’s final stage. “I’m still pretty young and for me, I just want to give it a shot on the PGA Tour,” he says.

After struggling to an opening-round 73, Hoey battled back with rounds of 70, 67 and 68, finishing T-17 to regain a coveted Korn Ferry Tour card. He left Georgia elated and relieved—and knowing he’ll have eight guaranteed starts to begin the 2023 season. “I’m just glad it’s over,” he says. “I can’t even describe it. I feel like I’m getting better. I’m one step closer to the PGA Tour. There’s no other feeling like it. It’s just awesome.”

Andrew Wevers

Professional golf has long prided itself on being a true meritocracy: shoot low scores and you will move up the ranks. There is optimism among professional golf hopefuls that when they do arrive at the top, the reward will be greater than ever. There is also growing concern that top players have more protection than ever. Rather than the considerable money at the top trickling down, it’s getting gobbled up. In a professional golfer’s mind, tour status is somewhere between inspiring hopes and unattainable dreams. Achieving that will take more grit—and more money—than ever.

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USGA adds US Open exemptions for DP World Tour, Asian Tour players

The USGA has announced new 2022 US Open exemptions available to players on the DP World Tour and the Order of Merit winner on the Asian Tour.

The governing body has set aside 10 US Open spots for the leading points earners in the 2022 European Qualifying Series, which will comprise of four DP World Tour events: the Betfred British Masters Hosted by Danny Willett (May 5-8), the Soudal Open (May 12-15), Dutch Open (May 26-29) and the Porsche European Open (June 2-5).

This marks the third year for the European Qualifying Series, which has seemingly replaced the 36-hole sectional qualifier previously held in Europe.

“The European Qualifying Series has been a big success since it was introduced in 2020, so we are pleased to continue our collaboration with the USGA again this year," said Keith Waters, the DP World Tour’s Chief Operating Officer. “The series adds further excitement and focus on our events, which take place in four different European countries in England, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.”

Guido Migliozzi, who finished tied for fourth at Torrey Pines last year, qualified for the US Open through this series.

The USGA is also giving a spot in the field to 19-year-old Joohyung Kim , who was crowned the Asian Tour Order of Merit winner for the season combining tournaments from pre-pandemic 2020 and events from the end of 2021. Kim won the money title in January 2022 after finishing joint second at the SMBC Singapore Open, the final event of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season, which was eight total tournaments.

The 2022 US Open will be played at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., from June 16-19.

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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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Pro Disqualified On 1st Hole At DP World Tour Q-School

Blake Abercrombie was thrown out of the qualifier after using a rangefinder on the opening hole

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Blake Abercrombie’s quest to earn a DP World Tour card lasted all of one hole before he was disqualified for using a rangefinder .

According to Monday Q Info , the American flew thousands of miles from the US to Denmark to play the first stage of the DP World Tour Q-School at Lyngbygaard Golf in Braband, Denmark, paying the €2,000 entry fee. He used a rangefinder on the first hole, but with the technology not permitted , he was thrown out of the tournament.

This game and it’s rules are tough sometime:Blake Abercrombie paid €2,000 for entry fee to Euro Q-school. Flew over to Denmark from US and played one hole.He used a rangefinder on the first hole, something not allowed in Euro Q school and was DQ’d. A $5,000 hole. Ouch. September 27, 2022

Estimating the cost of Abercrombie’s ill-fated trip and entry at $5,000, Monday Q Info had some sympathy for Abercrombie, but that wasn’t shared by fellow American Nico Paez. The 33-year-old pro, who is also competing at the Lyngbygaard Golf Q-School, replied on Twitter: “And there was literally a sheet on the tee saying no distance measuring devices and the starter reminded us. No excuse.”

When another user questioned his take, Paez doubled down on his criticism, adding: “It happened less than 10 minutes after you were instructed the rules. It’s your job to follow the rules.”

The DP World Tour Qualifying School returned for the first time in three years in 2022. The event in Braband, Denmark, was the seventh of nine first stage qualifiers, with events in Cheshire, England, and Hardelot, France early next month wrapping up the opening stage.

The  second stage will run from November 3-6 over four courses in Spain before the competition culminates at Infinitum in Tarragona, Spain, from November 11-16, where 156 players will compete over six rounds, all hoping to win a 2023 DP World Tour card.

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Jeff graduated from Leeds University in Business Studies and Media in 1996 and did a post grad in journalism at Sheffield College in 1997. His first jobs were on Slam Dunk (basketball) and Football Monthly magazines, and he's worked for the Sunday Times, Press Association and ESPN. He has faced golfing greats Sam Torrance and Sergio Garcia, but on the poker felt rather than the golf course. Jeff's favourite course played is Sandy Lane in Barbados, which went far better than when he played Matfen Hall in Northumberland, where he crashed the buggy on the way to the 1st tee!

The event in Australia provided a thrilling finish, with plenty of moments captured at the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament

By Matt Cradock Published 28 April 24

Although he is yet to win on the LIV Golf circuit after joining in December 2023, Rahm's consistency hasn't gone unnoticed as the Spaniard has finished inside the top 10 in all six events

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2024 ISPS Handa Championship purse, winner’s share, DP World Tour prize money payout

T he 2024 ISPS Handa Championship purse is $2.25 million, with the winner's share at $382,500 -- the standard 17 percent payout according to the European Tour's prize money distribution chart .

The 2024 ISPS Handa Championship field is headed by Matthieu Pavon, Dylan Frittelli and Keita Nakajima, as well as more of the world's best players.

The ISPS Handa Championship is the 18th event of the year on the 2024 European Tour schedule .

The event is played at Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba Course in Gotemba, Japan.

What else is on the line: Race to Dubai points, OWGR points, exemptions

Beyond money, there are important points, perks and benefits on the line for the field -- in particular, the tournament winner.

The winner gets approximately 20.7 Official World Golf Ranking points, with the points available based on field strength.

Winning comes with other big benefits, including a two-plus season exemption on the European Tour, as well berths into other key events.

There are a total of 3,000 Race to Dubai points on offer to the full field.

The points on offer are related to the purse of the tournament as quoted in United States dollars (USD).

The winner gets 500 DP World Tour points, with the player holding the most season-long Race to Dubai points at the end of the tournament winning the Race to Dubai and its first-place prize.

The top eight players in the Race to Dubai standings after the season will be paid from the Race to Dubai bonus pool of $6 million.

2024 ISPS Handa Championship purse, winner's share, prize money payout

2024 isps handa championship: frequently asked questions(faq), how much is the 2024 isps handa championship purse.

The 2024 ISPS Handa Championship purse is $2.25 million.

How much is the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship winner's share?

The 2024 ISPS Handa Championship winner's share is $382,500.

What is the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship field size?

The 2024 ISPS Handa Championship field features 144 players.

Is there a cut at the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship?

There is a 36-hole cut to the top 65 and ties at the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship.

The post 2024 ISPS Handa Championship purse, winner’s share, DP World Tour prize money payout first appeared on Golf News Net .

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How it works: 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - JUNE 12: A course view of the chipping area during the second round at the Korn Ferry Tour's Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass at Dyes Valley Course on June 12, 2020 in Ponte Vedra B the chippingeach, Florida. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

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Beginning in 2023, PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will award PGA TOUR cards to the top five finishers and ties, in addition to determining 2024 season eligibility for the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas.

Related: Scores and results: PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry consists of four different stages, though competitors can bypass Pre-Qualifying, First Stage, or Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry if they meet the criteria of at least one exemption category for First, Second, or Final Stage.

Competition for Pre-Qualifying, First Stage, and Second Stage is conducted at several different sites, with the number of competitors advancing from each site being on a pro rata basis (i.e., approximately the same percentage from each site will advance).

Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will be contested at Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass, as well as Sawgrass Country Club, with each competitor playing two rounds on each course. At the conclusion of the final round, the last set of TOUR cards for the 2024 season will be awarded, with the others coming from the 2022-23 DP World Tour season (top 10 players from Race to Dubai Rankings not already exempt) and 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season (top 30 players on final points list).

• Pre-Qualifying (eight sites, 54-hole stroke play competition) – September 13-29

• First Stage (13 sites, 72-hole stroke play competition) – October 10-27

• Second Stage (five sites, 72-hole stroke play competition) – November 14-December 1

• Final Stage (72-hole stroke play competition) – December 14-17

The medalist (and ties) from each First Stage site will be exempt through the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season.

The medalist (and ties) from each Second Stage site will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership and, provided they do not improve their status at Final Stage, will be subject to the second reshuffle of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, and be placed in the Korn Ferry Tour Priority Ranking after the first 40 finishers and ties who did not earn a PGA TOUR card at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

Performance benefits for Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry are as follows:

• Top five finishers and ties at Final Stage will earn PGA TOUR cards.

• Next 40 finishers and ties at Final Stage will earn exempt status through multiple reshuffles of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, with the first 25 finishers and ties being subject to the third reshuffle, and any remaining finishers within the category being subject to the second reshuffle.

• The next 20 finishers and ties at Final Stage will earn exempt status for the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season, while also earning conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership.

• All remaining finishers at Final Stage will have conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership and conditional PGA TOUR Americas membership for the 2024 season.

The field at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will feature players who advanced through the various stages of Q-School – Pre-Qualifying, First Stage, Second Stage – and others who automatically qualify by meeting the criteria of at least one exemption category.

Exemption categories for 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry are as follows:

First Stage

• Members of the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), DP World Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica or PGA TOUR Canada during the years 2021, 2022 or 2023.

• Applicants that made the cut in a tournament awarding Official Money conducted by the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, DP World Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica or PGA TOUR Canada during the years 2022 or 2023 as of the First Qualifying Stage entry deadline (September 11, 2023).

• Applicants who played the Second Qualifying Stage of the 2019, 2021 or 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

• Applicants who finished in the top 50, including ties, at a First Qualifying Stage site of the 2021 or 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

• Applicants that played in the 2022 or 2023: THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open or The Open Championship.

• Applicants that played in the 2023 PGA Professional Championship.

• Applicants that made the cut in the 2022 PGA Assistant Professional National Championship.

• Applicants ranked 101-200 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) to be released as of the entry deadline for First Qualifying Stage (September 11, 2023).

• Applicants ranked six through twenty-five (6-25) on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) to be released as of Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

• Applicants who qualified for the 2021 or 2023 Walker Cup.

• Applicants who played in the semifinals of the 2021, 2022 or 2023 U.S. Amateur, or the final of the 2021 or 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Second Stage

• 2022-23 PGA TOUR Members who are eligible for tournament play as defined in the PGA TOUR Tournament Regulations.

• Applicants with an official victory in a 2020-2021, 2022, 2023 Korn Ferry Tour tournament as defined in the Korn Ferry Tour Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants finishing sixty-one through eighty-fifth (61-85) on the final 2023 Official Korn Ferry Tour Points List, as defined in the Korn Ferry Tour Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants who have made fifty (50) or more cuts in PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments awarding official money as of the Second Qualifying Stage entry deadline (October 9, 2023).

• Applicants who made the cut in the 2023: THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open or The Open Championship.

• Players ranked fifty-first through one hundred (51-100) on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) to be released as of October 9, 2023.

• Applicants ranked sixth through twentieth (6-20) on the current season’s Final Official 2023 PGA TOUR University Ranking.

• Applicants ranked sixth through twenty-fifth (6-25) on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica 2022-23 Final Official Totalplay Cup Points List, as defined in the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants ranked sixth through twenty-fifth (6-25) PGA TOUR Canada 2023 Final Official Fortinet Cup Points List, as defined in the PGA TOUR Canada Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants ranked first through fifth (1-5) on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) to be released as of Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

• Applicants ranked one through five (1-5) including ties at the 2023 PGA Professional Championship.

• Applicants ranked two through five (2-5) on the current season’s Official Order of Merit for Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) as of the Second Qualifying Stage deadline (October 9, 2023).

• Applicants ranked two through five (2-5) on the 2022-2023 Final Official Money List for the PGA Tour of Australasia.

• Applicants ranked two through five (2-5) on the 2022-2023 Final Official Players List for the Sunshine Tour.

• Applicants ranked two through five (2-5) on the 2022-2023 Final Genesis Point List for the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA).

• Applicant who is a current Korn Ferry Tour member that has been disabled to the extent he is unable to compete in more than twelve (12) events in a season but has played in a minimum of five (5) Korn Ferry Tour events that season; has performed at a level which placed him 61st – 85th position on the Official Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List at the time he was disabled; or who has average points per event at the time he was disabled which would have placed him 61st – 85th position on the Official Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List for the entire season (determined by multiplying such an average number of Korn Ferry Tour events played by all Korn Ferry Tour members).

Final Stage

• The top 40 available applicants below the 125th position on the Final 2022-2023 FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List, to a floor of 200th position.

• Applicants ranked on the PGA TOUR Nonmember FedExCup Points list (including Special Temporary Members) whose combined official points and points earned in official money World Golf Championship events and the Barbasol and Barracuda Championships is equal to or greater than the 150th place finisher on the Final 2022-2023 Regular Season FedExCup Points List.

• Applicants ranked thirty-first through sixtieth (31-60) on the season ending 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Official Points List, as defined in the Korn Ferry Tour Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants ranked first through fifty (1-50) on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) to be released as of the Final Qualifying Stage entry deadline (November 13, 2023).

Applicants ranked one through five (1-5) on the current season’s Final Official 2023 PGA TOUR University Ranking.

• Applicants ranked one through five (1-5) on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica 2022-23 Final Official Totalplay Cup Points List, as defined in the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Tournament Regulations .

• Applicants ranked one through five (1-5) PGA TOUR Canada 2023 Final Official Fortinet Cup Points List, as defined in the PGA TOUR Canada Tournament Regulations .

• Leading player on the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) Official Order of Merit as of the Final Qualifying Stage deadline (November 13, 2023).

• Top five players on the 2022-2023 Final Official Money List for the PGA Tour of Australasia.

• Leading player on the 2022-2023 Final Official Players List for the Sunshine Tour.

• Leading player on the 2022-2023 Final Genesis Point List for the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA).

• Applicants among Major and Minor, Medical Extension category members (as defined in the PGA TOUR Tournament Regulations ) whose FedExCup Points earned in their “Available Tournaments”, when combined with the amount of FedExCup Points earned in their “Tournaments Played”, equals or exceeds the amount of FedExCup Points earned by the member who finished last in the 25 finishers beyond 125th place on the FedEx Cup Points List for the preceding season shall be exempt into Final Qualifying Stage in that year provided that the FedExCup Points earned in his “Tournaments Played” was less than the 150th finisher on the FedExCup Points List in the year of the applicant’s injury.

• Applicant who is a current Korn Ferry Tour member that has been disabled to the extent he is unable to compete in more than twelve (12) events in a season but has played in a minimum of five (5) Korn Ferry Tour events that season; has performed at a level which placed him 31st – 60th on the Official Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List at the time he was disabled; or who has average points per event at the time he was disabled which would have placed him 31st – 60th on the Official Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List for the entire season (determined by multiplying such an average number of Korn Ferry Tour events played by all Korn Ferry Tour members).

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More Money Is Being Handed out in Golf, Again, But There Are Still No Winners

Bob Harig explores the report of PGA Tour equity shares being awarded, some Ryder Cup eligibility news and a tour gets OWGR points (but not that one).

• Author: Bob Harig

You know the plot has been lost—if it hadn’t already occurred long ago—when the social media warriors mocked Rory McIlroy after it was reported he will receive “only” $50 million in the PGA Tour’s equity share plan, while his buddy, Tyrrell Hatton, got $65 million up front from LIV Golf.

Never mind that McIlroy was to receive $27 million in Player Impact Program bonus money the last two years as well as numerous other tour-guided endorsement opportunities.

The fact that anyone on the sideline is claiming “victory” over all of this is beyond comical at this point.

Professional golfers, especially star players, are being rewarded at record levels, some of it overdue, but a good bit of it unsustainable in a commercial world that is still grappling with niche sports status and a divided game.

LIV Golf doesn’t come close to paying its way and almost assuredly never will without big changes. The PGA Tour is asking its nonprofit charitable host organizations to dip into the till to pay future purses to try and keep up. And now the new PGA Tour Enterprises is pledging approximately $930 million to be distributed to 193 players as part of a vesting program that will take eight years.

As part of that program, which was first announced in February , the Tour last week began sending correspondence to players spelling out how much of the loot they are expected to receive. The Telegraph first reported that Tiger Woods is down for $100 million, McIlroy $50 million and players such as Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth for $30 million.

Who knows if those figures are accurate, and it’s hard to believe anyone will publicly confirm them. But it’s all on paper anyway, as this money is not sitting in a vast pot waiting to be scooped up in four, six or eight years’ time.

The initial $1.5 billion in investment from the Strategic Sports Group that landed in the PGA Tour Enterprises account in late January is not earmarked for the players, contrary to numerous reports. The $930 million is based on a PGA Tour Enterprises valuation in excess of $12 billion. The SSG money is meant to be used by the Tour to grow the business, or, to bring back the kind of return that will allow for those massive pay days down the road.

That is the multi-billion-dollar question.

It doesn’t take a financial wizard to see that getting that kind of return on the existing business model of the PGA Tour is far-fetched. PGA Tour events, most of which are non-profit anyway and give their proceeds to charity, make millions not billions. And hitting them up is just a small piece of the plan.

There has to be something else, something bigger and more lucrative.

Buying the DP World Tour’s rights to the Ryder Cup would be one potential avenue for PGA Tour Enterprises. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have a working alliance and a purchase of that could come with a windfall that props up the struggling DP World Tour for years. Getting its hands on the Ryder Cup would finally give the PGA Tour a bigger piece of a huge asset, and along with the Presidents Cup, potentially bring in significant revenue.

Beyond that?

Well, that’s where golf fans should really be focused.

All of this money talk hasn’t exactly left the game in a great place. The idea of “unification” first broached nearly a year ago with the controversial and secret “framework agreement” has yet to even see all of the parties meet in the same room.

McIlroy, who captured his 25th PGA Tour title on Sunday when he won the Zurich Classic with partner Shane Lowry, resigned his spot as a player director on the PGA Tour policy board last November and is now talking about returning to that role , in theory, to knock some heads together and see about getting something done.

Because the game is divided—no matter what you think of LIV Golf or the PGA Tour or both—is not good. And thinking it is going back to the old way, and thus, being bitter toward those who have a role in this current climate, is also not productive.

Getting there, of course, is complicated. There have been rumblings that LIV Golf is perfectly content to operate separate from the PGA Tour. And LIV is planning for the future, with no signs that is conceding. If so, how does that bring the game back together?

Without changes, there is no way for players to compete on both LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. McIlroy’s idea for a Champions League-type series of golf events beyond the existing tours is intriguing, but again, how will it work? Who would qualify? When would the events be played? Would any of them count as PGA Tour or LIV events?

A deal with the PIF, in theory, would only enhance PGA Tour Enterprises and allow for some investment into some of these ideas. But getting there remains a long journey.

In the interim, the greater golf world is getting more annoyed by all the money talk. Nobody wants to hear that already well-compensated golfers are going to cash in even more. Meanwhile, TV ratings of PGA Tour events, even the Masters , are down, and fans aren’t exactly switching over to watch LIV in droves.

It's a game-wide problem that could use some serious attention. And soon.

A path to the Ryder Cup

When Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton signed with LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy was quick to say that the rules need to be amended to allow them to play for Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

But as new DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings said last week that is not necessary.

Those players are already eligible under the current rules—although the qualification process for next year’s matches has yet to begin.

“If you look at what the qualification/eligibility criteria was for 2023, then I think there has been a slight misconception because the reality is under the current rules, if a player is European and is a member of the DP World Tour and abides by the rules as they currently are—so, if you don’t get a release, there are sanctions and if you accept those sanctions and take those penalties and work with that —there is no reason why players who’ve taken LIV membership but maintain membership with the DP World Tour could not a) qualify or b) be available for selection,” Kinnings said in a media session with UK and Irish golf writers.

Jon Rahm (left) and Tyrrell Hatton are with LIV Golf but may not be out of the picture for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Rahm and Hatton will face a one-event suspension and fine for playing in the LIV Adelaide event. A similar scenario exists for this week’s LIV Singapore event. Both are up against DP World Tour events, thus requiring a release.

But according to Kinnings, as long as the players pay the undisclosed fine and serve a one-tournament suspension—even if they were not planning to play a DP World Tour event—they will be eligible, provided the meet the criteria of playing in four DP World Tour events this season.

“It’s not a loophole,” Kinnings said. “That’s the rules we’ve always had and those are the rules we are going to continue to apply. They have been tested and, if everyone applies and follows those rules as they are ... ”

Asked how a player can be suspended from an event they were not planning to play, Kinnings said: “Because rules are rules. Rules are for all of the membership and it’s important for people to know how those apply and they apply to every member.”

LIV Golf has yet to announce the final two events of its schedule but it is expected to conclude the weekend of Sept. 20-22—which is when the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship is contested.

That means Rahm and Hatton would likely need to play a few events prior to that time because they’ll get one-event suspensions for missing that week, thus possibly knocking Rahm out of a tournament in Madrid. The British Masters and European Masters proceed LIV’s final two events.

Following LIV’s season-ending event are tournaments in Spain, France and Scotland.

A 54-hole tour gets OWGR accreditation

During another point in time, the Official World Golf Ranking announcement that it was accrediting the Clutch Pro Tour beginning this week would have barely been noticed.

There are now 25 tours around the world that are getting OWGR points, and you’d probably be hard-pressed to know a single player competing on the Clutch Pro Tour unless he is a family member or acquaintance.

But in the era of the LIV Golf League—which has quite publicly lamented its lack of accreditation and subsequently withdrew its application—any tour stepping up to get entry into the system at least brings a bit of curiosity.

The Clutch Pro Tour is in its fifth season based in the United Kingdom as a developmental tour or feeder tour to the Challenge Tour, which subsequently allows access to the DP World Tour.

Also referred to as the Mizuno Next Gen Series, the tour has a 17-event schedule in 2024.

What is interesting is how the OWGR seemingly went out of its way to highlight aspects of the Tour that have been sticking points for LIV Golf, including the 54-hole format—which, ultimately, has never been a deal-breaker for LIV.

“The Clutch Pro Tour provides access to its official tournaments, conducted over 54 holes with a 36-hole cut, via its 2024 qualifying series held in the UAE and, for its 2025 season, an annual open qualifying school,” the OWGR said in a statement announcing the accreditation. “It also provides local and regional players opportunities, culminating with a no-cut, season-ending Championship. As such, the Clutch Pro Tour is in keeping with long-standing OWGR Eligibility and Format Criteria.”

The OWGR also noted that the process took 17 months in which the “Tour worked continuously toward the standards required to become eligible.”

LIV Golf officially applied for accreditation in July 2022. Its bid was rejected in October 2023, with OWGR chairman Peter Dawson—the former head of the R&A—basically saying that the closed nature of the league and its small relegation and promotion were the main problems.

“We are not at war with them,” Dawson said in an interview with the Associated Press at the time. “This decision to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical. LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They’re just not playing a format where they can be ranked equitable with the other (now 25) tours and thousands of players who compete on them.”

How much interaction between LIV and the OWGR there was over this was up for debate and speculation. The bid was denied before LIV Golf played its first promotions event, one that saw three players and the winner of the International Series Order of Merit get promoted—with four LIV players being relegated off the tour.

This year, LIV added a new four-man team for Jon Rahm as well as two “wildcard” players to bring its total from 48 players to 54. But aside from injury, it is the same field every week.

It remains puzzling, however, why LIV Golf would rescind its bid and not try and work with OWGR to fix issues to help comply. OWGR went out of its way to say it did the very thing with the Clutch Tour. Both sides should figure this out, because it doesn’t appear the majors will offer access via LIV’s points list.

“I think it will be difficult to establish any type of point system that has any connection to the rest of the world of golf because they're basically, not totally, but for the most part, a closed shop,” Masters chairman Fred Ridley said of the LIV Golf League structure when asked about LIV getting direct spots in future Masters. “There is some relegation, but not very much. It all really depends on what new players they sign.

“Those concerns were expressed by the OWGR, but I don't think that that prevents us from giving subjective consideration based on talent, based on performance to those players.”

Ridley singled out Joaquin Niemann, who was given a special invitation, having won the Australian Open and posted high finishes at the Australian PGA and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He said nothing about Talor Gooch, whose three LIV Golf League wins last year and individual player title, apparently carried little weight.

The PGA Championship is in two weeks and it is expected to announce those who receive exemptions next week. Typically—although not officially—it issues spots to those otherwise not exempt via the top 100 OWGR. A majority of the field finds its way into the tournament through a top-70 year-long PGA Tour points list and PGA Tour victories.

Niemann has already been extended an invitation and Tyrrell Hatton, who remains a top-20 player, finished among the top 15 last year so he is already exempt. Defending champion Brooks Koepka as well as past major champions Johnson, DeChambeau, Cam Smith and Phil Mickelson are also in the field.

LIV players Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert and Patrick Reed would also be in line for exemptions, if the PGA continues to invite those in the top 100.

David Puig will be an interesting case. The Spaniard who plays for LIV was 104th going into the weekend. He has risen to that point from 239th at the end of the year, having won twice on the Asian Tour as well as a fifth-place finish at the recent Saudi Open.

LIV Golf’s success Down Under ... and other notes

There is no denying the passion for golf in Australia. For the second year, the LIV Golf Adelaide event delivered, with boisterous crowds, an enhanced party hole and even more spectators than last year. Various media reports put Sunday’s final tally at 35,000 spectators and LIV Golf announced more than 94,000 for the week.

The tournament got an added bonuses of the first-ever team playoff and it included the Australian team captained by Cam Smith. He and Marc Leishman of Ripper GC took on Louis Oosthuizen and Dean Burmester from the all-South African team Stinger GC and went two holes in a sudden-death playoff with both scores counting. The atmosphere was quite lively, as spectators cheered, for example, when Burmester left a shot in a bunker. And the Aussies won to the delirious delight of the Australian fans.

Brendan Steele got his first LIV Golf win in Australia.

Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Brendan Steele got his first individual victory and his HyFlyers team captained by Phil Mickelson got a third-place finish and a first time on the podium (only the top three teams share in team prize money). All in all, it appeared a rousing success and makes you wonder if LIV Golf should schedule more than one event for Australia.

Greg Norman, the Aussie legend and LIV Golf commissioner, couldn’t help himself afterward. In an interview with Australian Golf Digest , the two-time major winner who has long sought to bring more meaningful golf to his homeland, took a victory lap.

“Vindication is not the right word,” Norman told the publication, before pausing. “It’s the ignorance of others who simply didn’t understand what we were trying to do. I actually feel sorry for them because they now see the true value of LIV Golf and want to be a part of it.”

The Shark might have gotten caught up in the moment.

“The support Australia gave me during my own playing career for decades was something I have never forgotten,” Norman said. “It’s why I brought LIV Golf back home—I did it for them. The people have well and truly spoken. Both individual and team golf is alive and well in Australia and they deserve it. I knew they would support this event.

“I’m feeling extremely proud right now. With what we’ve (LIV Golf) gone through over the past 16 months, both as a league and what I’ve copped personally ... the hatred ... this makes it all worthwhile.”

Some of the vitriol toward Norman is not likely to subside. To many, he’s viewed as the person who divided the game—even if it is far more complicated than that. But Norman did deliver on his idea in his homeland, and he told Australian Golf Digest that he’s looking to bring the concept to other places, such as South Africa. Next up is this week’s event in Singapore.

And a few more things ...

Rory McIlroy was credited with his 25th PGA Tour victory after winning the Zurich Classic with Shane Lowry . And he’s entered some rare air among all-time PGA Tour winners. That tied him with Johnny Miller at 23rd all time along with Tommy Armour and Macdonald Smith . He’s one behind Henry Picard . The victory moved McIlroy past Dustin Johnson , who now plays for LIV Golf. The only active PGA Tour player ahead of McIlroy is Tiger Woods (82). Phil Mickelson (45), Tom Watson (39) and  Vijay Singh (34) are the only players ahead of McIlroy whom he would have competed against. ... Not surprisingly, Scottie Scheffler is not in his hometown Byron Nelson event this week as he awaits the birth of his first child. The tournament has just four of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking. ... A big stretch awaits as the Wells Fargo Championship, a signature event, follows and then the PGA Championship. Last year, Scheffler skipped Quail Hollow. ... The Byron Nelson is the cutoff for the PGA Championship’s 70-player points list that began the week prior to last year’s PGA Championship. The tournament can go beyond 70 to fill out its field and traditionally also invites the top 100 OWGR who are not otherwise exempt. ... LIV Golf reaches the halfway point of its 14-event schedule when it returns to Singapore and Sentosa Golf Club this week. ... The PGA Championship begins in 17 days.

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