By Rahul Banerji
The PGA Tour and European Tour have unveiled details around their strategic alliance, with the PGA Tour also releasing its 2021-22 season schedule.
The agreement, announced last November, connects men’s professional golf through areas like global scheduling, prize funds and playing opportunities for the respective memberships, a statement from the two tours said.
The most significant collaboration will be three co-sanctioned tournaments in 2022 that will count on both the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai next season — the Barbasol Championship; the Barracuda Championship; and the Genesis Scottish Open.
The latter event also has a new title sponsor in Genesis, the luxury automotive brand from South Korea, who will now title sponsor two tournaments on the PGA Tour.
The Genesis Scottish Open (July 4 to 10), which is part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series, retains its place in golf’s global calendar the week ahead of the Open Championship (July 11 to 17), a date confirmed through to 2025.
Split field
The player field will be a split between members of both Tours., and also open the door for the handful of Indians plying their trade in Europe, Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar in particular.
“We are delighted to welcome Genesis as a title sponsor of a European Tour event for the first time,” said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.
“Genesis has a strong history of sponsorship on the PGA Tour through The Genesis Invitational, and their commitment to the Scottish Open will further enhance one of our premier events of the season.”
Although it will be on the PGA Tour’s official schedule for the first time, the Genesis Scottish Open has a rich history on the European Tour, appearing in the Tour’s first two official seasons (1972 and 1973) and as part of the Tour’s International Schedule since 1986.
It has also been part of the Rolex Series – the European Tour’s premium series of events – since the Series’ inception in 2017.
“Adding an existing, strong title sponsor in Genesis in the form of the Scottish Open – to be sanctioned by both Tours – is a significant step for the global game,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
“Coupled with their support of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, we’re incredibly proud to forge a deeper relationship with this premier brand across the global game.”
Open doors
In addition to the Scottish Open being co-sanctioned, there will also be access for 50 European Tour members to each of two PGA Tour events in 2022 for the first time – the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship.
Both events will be added to the Race to Dubai for European Tour members.
As part of the collaboration between the two Tours, the Irish Open will see an increase in prize money – to $6 million, starting in 2022 – nearly double the amount on offer at Mount Juliet last month.
In addition, the PGA Tour will continue to work with the European Tour on commercial opportunities across the Tour.
“When we announced the Strategic Alliance at the end of last year, we said it was a landmark moment for global golf’s ecosystem that would benefit all members of both Tours,” said Pelley.
“This announcement underlines that promise, with further enhancements to the Genesis Scottish Open, a strengthening of the Irish Open for our members, and direct access for European Tour members to two PGA Tour events.
“I am pleased to say that the PGA Tour and the European Tour are both stronger than at any time in our history, as we are positioned to grow – together – over the next 10 years faster than we have at any point in our existence,” said Monahan.
“We are committed to continuing to evolve and adapt, and with our ever-strengthening partnership with the European Tour, to take the global game to the heights we all know it is capable of.”
Also read: European Tour, PGA Tour announce landmark tie-up
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