DP World Tour Grad School…

Congratulations to the DP World Tours first crop of PGA Tour graduates.

At Sunday’s conclusion to the Tour Championship, the top 10 not-already-exempt in the final season long standings earned themselves a golden ticket to dine at the top table of golf.

Following Nicolai Højgaard’s excellent victory in Dubai, it was confirmed Adrian Meronk, Ryan Fox, Victor Perez, Thorbjørn Olesen, Alexander Bjork, Sami Valimaki, Robert MacIntrye, Matthieu Pavon and Jorge Campillo had earned the right to compete on next year’s Tour under a dual membership. Good luck to each one of them. It will be fascinating to see how Europe’s elite compete Stateside.

Such is the landscape of men’s professional golf few can begrudge a player the opportunity to play week in week out on the top Tour. The allure of some of the finest venues in golf, alongside eye-watering purses could see one victory — heck even a T2 or 3 — earn them a life changing sum.

What does a PGA Tour card look like in 2024?

Not like one from 2023 anyway. The top 10 won’t have access to the Signature Series of events. Not immediately at least. There’ll be chances to play their way in, and good golf needs to and will be rewarded, but for now it feels very PGA Tour Lite - more on the two-tier nature of the latest format in upcoming articles.

Adrian Meronk — who topped the charts — will tee it up at The Players and Charles Schwab, as well as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and the Genesis. Good luck, Adrian.

Questions remain for the DP World Tour

The DP World Tour is happy to play second fiddle, and that’s fine. Knowing one’s place is sometimes a nice spot to be in. The strategic alliance after all offers the Tour a degree of protection should breakaway tours come calling. Without it, it would be an easy hunting ground for its top talent. With the search for new sponsors, and a constant battle to increase prize money, there is logic to being content with the younger sibling role, your big brother can protect you.

As we somewhat prematurely turn our eyes to next season and beyond, it’s hard not to envisage a gradual decline in quality beyond the cornerstone events — on that point, how long can the Tour rely on its American-based headliners to continue to return in non-Ryder Cup years?

Fresh opportunities for young blood must be welcomed but there’s not an exhaustive list of talent out there and with a conveyor belt off to the PGA, for those waiting in the wings though there are ample opportunities to shine.

For this year’s ten it will be intriguing. How much of a step up will the weekly grind be? There are decisions to be made too. It’s a long commute. Where do you want to be based? I hear Jupiter, FL is nice this time of year.

Bonne chance!