McDowell - Euro or US tour

[nevets88]

I forget the rules. With the win, does McDowell get exempt on the PGA tour? He's not even listed in the web site. Is it a better move, career-wise to play in the US? Didn't Lawrie play in the US after his win?

[Easy]

Yeap. He's able to play in the PGAtour for the next 5 years.

He gets a free ride to all the other majors too for the next year.

And it's definately much better to play in the U.S than the Euro simply because of the prize money.

[James_Black]

Yeap. He's able to play in the PGAtour for the next 5 years.

That could be debated

[Easy]

That could be debated

Really? I thought the U.S was miles ahead in terms of prize money. My bad.

[shades9323]

That could be debated

Care to elaborate?

Els has 13 starts on the PGA tour with 2 wins. He has won $3.9million McDowell has 12 starts on the Euro tour with 2 wins. He has won $1.8million. Mcdowell would be in 14th place on the U.S. money list.

[mjtoal]

Really? I thought the U.S was miles ahead in terms of prize money. My bad.

The prize money is certainly better in the US, but some players who have tried to play both have struggled to maintain a transatlantic schedule and their games have suffered.

Some players prefer to be a bigger fish in the smaller pond with occasional forays to the US for the majors and WGC events

[Shindig]

He gets a free ride to all the other majors too for the next year.

Most majors have 5-year exemptions for past winners of other majors. Plus he gets the U.S. Open for another ten.

[BallStriker]

Really? I thought the U.S was miles ahead in terms of prize money. My bad.

In shear dollars, the US PGA Tour has the upper hand....it can certainly be argued that it is easier to win more money on the Euro Tour (given the lower level of talent top to bottom).

Food for thought...........

[bogeyhitter25]

McDowell should definitely come to the US. He fits right in over here.

[losingmyedge]

I'm struggling with some of the posts here tbh.

Golf is now very much a global game, most players inside the top 20 in the world rankings are genuine dual tour players except maybe Tiger, Stricker, Furyk and Phil.

The PGA has more money it always has, always will but the top players enjoy testing thhemselves against different players each week.

McDowell, I would imagine will very much follow the trend of Luke Donald and Paul Casey and play the big events on both tours. The events that offer the most ranking points as they have the strongest fields.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

McDowell should definitely come to the US. He fits right in over here.

Agreed ........

[James_Black]

Prize money isn't everything.
The European tour is better because of it's diversity.
You don't play on parkland after parkland after parkland like you do in the U.S

One month your playing in China, the other your in Spain. I'd find that much better that being in the same old boring places time after time.
For the older players globe-trotting mightn't be what they'd like to do but for younger players it'd be more interesting.

[Chilli Dipper]

Graeme doesn't have to choose between one or the other. Most (non-American) players inevitably play enough tournaments to satisfy membership requirements of both tours. Those who don't keep their PGA Tour cards active do so primarily to avoid potential scheduling conflicts that would force them to play certain American events over their overseas counterparts.

[Acropo]

Care to elaborate?

He has won €1.8 million, which equates to around $2.2 million. And don't forget the appearance money, which is quite handsome on the European Tour.

In shear dollars, the US PGA Tour has the upper hand....it can certainly be argued that it is easier to win more money on the Euro Tour (given the lower level of talent top to bottom).

Be careful or you'll give yourself food poisoning!

If there is less talent on the European Tour, how come so many European players are winning on the PGA Tour? Have a quick glance at the winners this year...with the exception of Rose, Westwood and McDowell they have all only recently focused more time on the PGA Tour. (Rose has been US based for years; Westwood and McDowell are not, currently, members of the PGA Tour at all).

Really? I thought the U.S was miles ahead in terms of prize money. My bad.

See above. Not miles ahead, the gap is closing and don't forget the appearance money.

[Acropo]

Graeme doesn't have to choose between one or the other. Most (non-American) players inevitably play enough tournaments to satisfy membership requirements of both tours. Those who don't keep their PGA Tour cards active do so primarily to avoid potential scheduling conflicts that would force them to play certain American events over their overseas counterparts.

Absolutely right, CD.

[BallStriker]

If there is less talent on the European Tour, how come so many European players are winning on the PGA Tour?

My point was really that the talent level on the US PGA is "top to bottom" much higher than the Euro Tour.....in fact, if you take away the top 15 players on both the Euro Tour and the Nationwide Tout, I think the Nationwide would be the stronger tour.

Of course, this is just my opinion......I don't begrudge anyone who may disagree

[James_Black]

My point was really that the talent level on the US PGA is "top to bottom" much higher than the Euro Tour.....in fact, if you take away the top 15 players on both the Euro Tour and the Nationwide Tout, I think the Nationwide would be the stronger tour.

Maybe that's because it's quality not quantity?

There's not as many golfers in europe than the U.S and here is the list of the race to dubai. 16th Jiminez 18th Robert Karlsson 19th Harrington 20th Sergio garcia 22nd Luis Oosthuizen 23rd Peter Hanson 27&28 the Molinari brothers. 31st Robert Rock that's a lot of quality.

[BallStriker]

Maybe that's because it's quality not quantity?

LOL.....for some crazy reason, I just knew someone was going to list Robert Rock as one of the "unknown" or "unheralded" talents on the Euro Tour...