European Tour - the true World Tour?

[Ruari]

Some commentators have claimed that the PGA TOUR is the 'global tour' because it attracts participation from around the world. BUT - big BUT - it only goes outside its own borders twice - to the British Open (Major) and to the Canadian Open, which isn't far away, but still doesn't get full US player participation.
The European Tour, by contrast, looks a lot more like the true World Tour - all the events at this time of the year are outside of Europe (current event is the Malaysian Open). There are 50 confirmed events altogether (excluding the Ryder Cup), including the four Majors, three WGC events and the World Cup at Mission Hills. Of the 50, no less than 24 are not played in Europe - 6 (3 Majors, 3 WGC) are in the USA, the other 18 are in S Africa, Australasia, the Middle-East, S Asia, SE Asia, Japan and China.
The International participants form a major part of the European Tour. Of the top 100 on the Order of Merit, 37 originate outside of Europe (early part of the season so it may change as time goes on - but probably not by much: it will be the names that change, rather than the numbers).
The way the PGA TOUR lays out its stats makes it difficult to make a direct comparison (it doesn't show nationalities on the moneylist or FedEx Cup table) but, while there is significant International representation, is it anywhere near as great as the European?
True, the money attracts the best from all over the world - but shouldn't a 'global tour' actually, well, go round the globe, rather than just go outside its own borders twice, and fairly grudgingly at that?
For me, the European Tour is the World Tour, and that position is only going to get stronger. It's established a second HQ in the Middle East; it visits the fastest-growing markets (FE, and Mid-East) and co-sanctions events all over the world; and the launch in 2009 of the Race to Dubai, with increased prize money and the richest event in golf - the Dubai World championship - mean it's strengthening its position. If a new sponsor can be found for the World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth, it will have the two biggest winners' prizes in golf.
Or will the PGA TOUR seek to match what Europe's doing? Or will the parochialism of many of the US' players get in the way?
If there is a genuine World Tour - the Race to Dubai - will there be any further need of the World Golf Championships, which have to be regarded as misnamed, as they're all played in the US anyway?

[RichF]

Also, it can be said it's tougher competition too. I'd take the following top European Tour players:
Henrik Stenson
Adam Scott
Vijay Singh
Ernie Els
Angel Cabrera
Padraig Harrington
Justin Rose
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald

Over the following top PGA Tour players:
Phil Mickelson
Steve Stricker
KJ Choi
Jim Furyk
Rory Sabbatini
Stewart Cink
JB Holmes
Juston Leonard

Of course, the key to the whole PGA is Tiger Woods - but as someone already pointed out - the difference between him and Phil Mickelson is greater than that between Mickelson and #1000.

Regardless - I follow both tours anyway!

[pjsnyc]

Some commentators have claimed that the PGA TOUR is the 'global tour' because it attracts participation from around the world. BUT - big BUT - it only goes outside its own borders twice - to the British Open (Major) and to the Canadian Open, which isn't far away, but still doesn't get full US player participation.

I don't think the PGA Tour will change ANYTHING so long as Tiger's still around

[Ruari]

What a wise and perceptive post, RichF!

[TourSpoon]

Well, Greg Norman figured this out early on and in the early 90s talked of a true global tour since there is so much talent all over the world. The result was the World Golf Championships but they have not filled the vision as set forth by the Shark because most of the events take place in the States. The European tour is going in this direction especially with the 09 $10 Million Dollar tournament in Dubai.

[bwmgolfer]

The European tour is a good one but nothing amouts to the PGA tour the most media, the best courses, and the best players. Everybody wants to be on the PGA tour.

[Ruari]

The European tour is a good one but nothing amouts to the PGA tour the most media, the best courses, and the best players. Everybody wants to be on the PGA tour.

'Best courses' - rather subjective. Is EVERY course on TOUR Better than St Andrews, Birkdale, Valderrama, Wentworth, Celtic Manor 2010, Al Jemeirah Fire, all of Mission Hills, Huntingdale in Australia, Leopard Creek (S Africa), Saint-Omer (France), Gleneagles, Carnoustie, Kingsbarn, The Belfry and so on?

Best players - Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, etc and the list Rich F supplied above are all European Tour players. True, they also make forays over to the PGA TOUR - and win. I'm sure they enjoy the loot they make by so doing. Most media - in the UK, three different networks cover golf. Sky has the European Tour, Ladies European Tour, the WGC, US Open and PGA Championships, and the Ryder Cup. Setanta Sports covers the PGA TOUR and Far East Tour. The BBC covers The Masters, British Open, Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, British Masters, World Matchplay and others. But there may be more in the US, I don't know. Who covers the European Tour and the Far East, for interest? Anyway, the question wasn't 'which is the better', it was 'which is the true World Tour?' And unless the PGA Tour has suddenly announced a schedule taking it to the Mid-East, Australasia, the Far East, S America and Europe, I'd still venture that the European Tour is the World Tour.

[RichF]

The European tour is a good one but nothing amouts to the PGA tour the most media, the best courses, and the best players.

Hmmm.

I w$on$der wh$y th$at co$uld b$e?

[Lemay427]

i believe the pga tour is the "world tour". i dont believe its about where the course is located its about who the tournament attracts. the best players will show up where the most money is at. and that is the PGA tour.

[RichF]

i believe the pga tour is the "world tour". i dont believe its about where the course is located its about who the tournament attracts. the best players will show up where the most money is at. and that is the PGA tour.

Well, if you look at the World Golf final standings for 2007 (European Tour players in

bold ): 1 - Tiger Woods 2 - Phil Mickelson 3 - Jim Furyk 4 - Ernie Els 5 - Steve Stricker 6 - Justin Rose 7 - Adam Scott 8 - Padraig Harringrton 9 - K.J. Choi 10 - Vijay Singh 11 - Rory Sabbatini 12 - Sergio Garcia 13 - Geoff Ogilvy 14 - Angel Cabrera 15 - Zach Johnson 16 - Henrik Stenson 17 - Luke Donald 18 - Aaron Baddeley 19 - Trevor Immelman 20 - Niclas Fasth Apart from Woods, who like I've said, is way ahead of everyone no matter wjhat, that list is not what I'd call a 'PGA-Tour-domination' at all.

[RichF]

Hmmm.

Actually having said that, if you take away the Majors and the WGC's and what with the

Dubai World Golf Championship starting in 2009, the European Tour will probably be ahead of the PGA when it comes to prize money...

[Shindig]

Well, if you look at the World Golf final standings for 2007 (European Tour players in

Umm... Els, Rose, Scott, Singh, Garcia, Donald, Immelman ... aren't they also on the PGA Tour?

[jeremy_norbury]

To help everyone reach their own conclusions, I've posted a new thread about the free access to live European Tour TV - in this thread:

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10507

Regards
Jerry

[JaY_B]

To be fair the PGA Tour is no where near as global as the European Tour, and the European tour is quickly beginning to catch up the PGA Tour in popularity amongst the top pros, the money available, the quality of courses and facilities (etc).

Of course at the moment the PGA Tour is the stronger tour (but definitely not the world tour) and as a result will draw the best players.

I fully believe the European Tour will easily catch up and possibly over take the PGA Tour in a few years to come.

[Elsfan]

Who should excite me about the European tour? I love Els but that is it. People want to see greatness and if you try to sell me on Justin Rose versus Tiger Woods you are going to be out on the street. With Mickelson and Tiger playing their best golf now, it will be a long time before the European tour catches up.

[Chilidipper]

Who should excite me about the European tour? I love Els but that is it. People want to see greatness and if you try to sell me on Justin Rose versus Tiger Woods you are going to be out on the street. With Mickelson and Tiger playing their best golf now, it will be a long time before the European tour catches up.

I agree with your post. This is it

[Ruari]

i believe the pga tour is the "world tour". i dont believe its about where the course is located its about who the tournament attracts. the best players will show up where the most money is at. and that is the PGA tour.

British Open prize money - $1.5 million for first, the same as the other majors.

World Matchplay at Wentworth, England (in 2007 - we don't know the prize fund for this year yet) - $2 million for 1st place, the richest prize in golf Coming up in 2009 - Dubai World Challenge, the richest purse in golf The prize funds for the regular European Tour events are, it has to be conceded, less than the PGA TOUR - at the moment: the $ has fallen 10% against the Euro since last December, so the gap is closing in currency terms, and the funds are rising in Euro terms as more sponsors come on board. Multiply current Euro prizemoney by 1.55 to get the Dollar equivalent - they're getting closer. That's the prize money - a point that was already conceded in the opening post. When you use the description 'world', then where the tournaments are played is of importance. Taking your argument, then the English Premier League is the 'world league' in soccer (for our US readers - football for everyone else!) because it has most money and lots of foreign stars. But it isn't: it's a domestic league. Watched all over the world, yes, but it isn't even a British league, as Scotland has its own - and there are arguably better teams in other leagues, such as Barcelona & Real Madrid; Bayern Munich; Juventus, AC and Inter Milan. The TOUR is in the same boat - a domestic series that attracts a lot of international players and global interest. If you want to be 'world', you have to go outside your own borders on a regular basis. Elsfan said: "Who should excite me about the European tour? I love Els but that is it. People want to see greatness and if you try to sell me on Justin Rose versus Tiger Woods you are going to be out on the street." How about Sergio Garcia v Padraig Harrington for the British Open? That was quite exciting, as was Rose v Henson for the BMW PGA Championship? etc, etc. Woods v Mickelson is exciting when it happens and they go head to head. How many times did that occur last year? Once, I think it was, in the Playoffs. If you wait for perfection, you may wait a while... Shindig - as I said in the original post, European tour players make their forays to the TOUR and pick up some loot. Yes, the highlighted people do play on TOUR but they play possibly most of their golf on the European Tour. The exceptions - Justin Rose (definitely, this year, even though he's the OOM champion), Adam Scott, Vijay, Garcia and Luke Donald, with Cabrera a probable, this year. But they're all full members, they have their cards, they are ranked in the OOM - in short, they are world players: they play both. Oh, and 'world players' means they play elsewhere than within their own borders... The two Tours aren't far away from each other in terms of quality, with the obvious exception of Tiger - in fact, there is an argument that regular Tour events are better in the European than the PGA. Take Tiger out of the equation and things aren't so great - which must be a concern for the future. It's Tiger who has driven the PGA TOUR to its current level of interest and sponsorship. When he plays, the viewing figures are stratospheric; when he doesn't, they plummet. How long will sponsors keep pumping vast amounts in to tournaments few people are interested in watching? When he retires, where will the TOUR find itself? Somehow, I don't think he'll go on as long as Jack, Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Arnie, Gary Player, etc. Anyway, the thread is about which is the world tour. It's only if you define 'world' as 'essentially, The USA' that the TOUR can be described as 'world'.

[Ruari]

And another thing...

The European Tour has more varied courses - from links and heathland through downland to American-style parkland. And the different styles appear more than once a year...

Could that be why the Europeans have been doing better in the Ryder Cup over the past 25 years?