Golfgal Golf news and commentary from a business woman’s perspective.
Okay, did someone screw up or was this by design? Does the European Tour NOT want a non-European to win the Order of Merit? Or are they just stupid?
Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Vijay Singh – 4 of the top 20 in the world will miss the Volvo Masters because the European Tour decided to set the date to conflict with the Barclay’s Singapore Open (some debate as Asia’s Major) where a number of the top players were already committed.
Hmmm…stupid or brilliant? It’s the last tournament to decide the Order of Merit and the current leader can’t be there. Okay okay…so Ernie often doesn’t play Valderrama, but I bet he would have this year if he could have.
I guess it’s now up for grabs, not based on “merit”, but based on “who’s free to play”. I think it’s a real shame.
Sometimes you just have to wonder if the people running the tour actually pay attention. The Fedex schedule certainly didn’t really consider the players and what they needed or wanted (so they just skipped parts of it) AND now the European Tour is following suit – scheduling the last big tournament when they know the best can’t be there. I wonder if their sponsors are happy about that.
Sometimes you just wonder…
Golfgal
WHO’LL BE EURO STAR?
Irish Independent
31 Oct 2007
ERNIE ELS 1st: €2,496,237. Odds to win OOM: 1/2 Fav. Tournament Odds: Not playing. (€217,295 behind Els)) Odds to win OOM: 7/2 Tournament Odds: 10/1 The Open Champion has the advantage of experience in the race for the Order of Merit and it’ ll be a… read more…
OH, you can bet there are a lot of people looking at these schedules, espically those events who are wanting to lure in the big players since without them they dry up and blow away. They are not looking at what other event is scheduled for the week they want, they are looking at who they can sign into contract to play for their event.
I am sure that is why the Singapore event put some big appearance fees in the players contracts with a lot of teeth to make she they do not jump ship. They knew that the Volvo was being played the same week….but they could not afford to lose those moneymaker players for their tour.
There are a number of marketing firms who market these events around the world who are going to start playing hardball with the players and the PGA to make sure they can keep their client’s events writing them a big check each year.
If this keeps up I can see another tour starting for just the top 20 players..like a big club where they all fly around the world on the same plane with another plane following to carry all of their money and marketing people.
AAAAAAHHHH, don’t get me started..