McGinley hails DP World Tour’s strategic alliance “phenomenal” as Japan partnership announced

DP World Tour

Paul McGinley believes the DP World Tour's strategic alliance with the PGA Tour is a "phenomenal deal" for Europe, and it bore more fruit yesterday with the announcement of a new landmark partnership with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

The top three players on the JGTO Order of Merit, beginning with the 2022-23 campaign, will earn DP World Tour membership for the following season.

The new partnership follows this summer's announcement of the global pathway system, which will see the leading 10 players on the Race To Dubai Rankings earn cards on the PGA Tour beginning with the 2024 season.

The DP World Tour and the PGA Tour are also working on a new-look 2024 schedule with more co-sanctioned events likely.

A co-sanctioned Horizon Irish Open cannot be ruled out and Board member McGinley is not only excited about what lies ahead, he dismisses as “bullshit” talk that the DP World Tour was in big trouble.

"Relations have never been better between the two tours," McGinley said. "They are working very collaboratively together. We've just announced record prize funds and so has the American tour.

"I know everybody doesn't want to believe me and everyone wants to believe the rumours that we're bankrupt and we were saved by the Americans and all that bullshit. That's absolutely not true.

"We've now hitched our wagon to the PGA Tour, and it provides long-term security for every player on the DP World Tour going forward. It's a phenomenal deal we've done with the PGA Tour.

"And it's the path of least resistance in terms of risk. So it's a great opportunity now for the European Tour to grow and slipstream with the PGA Tour.

"The big benefits of the strategic alliance will really kick in in 2024 when you're going to see more joined-up thinking between the two tours.

"And you're going to see a big focus, particularly in Europe, from mid-August until early November. That's about all I can say at the moment."

The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour announced a new 13-year operational joint venture partnership this summer that guarantees growth in annual European prize funds for the next five years.

Whether that will result in an event at Ryder Cup venue Adare Manor remains to be seen in a fraught golfing landscape with LIV Golf and major headache for Keith Kelley and Jay Monahan.

“You’ll have to ask JP,” McGinley said. “That's going to be JP's call. I mean, we'd go in the morning. But, again, who knows? I mean,  look at how much the world has been turned upside down in the world of golf in the last nine months. And you know, who's to say that where it's all going to end up and what's going to happen?

“We don't know. So again, nothing is off the table, that's all I can say. Nothing is off the table. Everything is thinking outside the box on all kinds of levels and on  all kinds of ideas. And as I say, collaboration between the two tours has never been stronger. Never been better.”

As for the 2024 schedule, McGinley is not expecting a revolution but gradual change.

“I wouldn't say it will change radically, but there will be there will be some differences to it. We're still kind of jockeying around and talking to partners, talking to sponsors and events and ooking at  a broad schedule, and  thinking outside the box, more than anything.

“It’s a great time to be a professional golfer.”

While Rory McIlroy is guaranteed to remain as world No 1 until next year, Shane Lowry fell one spot to 21st in the world after his 18th place finish in the Hero World Challenge while Seamus Power remained 28th.

But there were rankings boosts for five Irish players today with the promise of more to come over the next few weeks.

Tom McKibbin, who is joined by Gary Hurley and John Murphy for this week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, moved up four spots to 318th in the world following his tie for 15th in the South African Open.

He’s now ranked ahead of Graeme McDowell who moved up 34 spots to 403 after his T3 in BNI Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour on Sunday.

Murphy fell 11 spots to 455th after missing the cut in Johannesburg but Gary Hurley moved up eight spots to 550th after his tie for 35th.

Conor Purcell also made a move, jumping 97 places to 645th following his seventh place finish in the Australian Open.

Waterford’s Kevin Phelan also moved up 90 places to 1734 after he finished tied 20th the BNI Indonesian Open.