The DP World Tour is set for a major reshuffle from the 2024 season with CEO Keith Pelley announcing the schedule will feature less events but with bigger prize funds while the Challenge Tour’s status will be elevated as he came out fighting against LIV Golf defectors.
“I can tell you that the concept from the players is to play less for more money,” said Pelley ahead of the BMW PGA Championship. “We have that opportunity now with the new investment from the PGA TOUR. That’s what the schedule looks like.
“We started meetings yesterday morning with the PGA TOUR on the 2024 schedule, how we are aligning on that. I think if you talk to any of the Tournament Committee members, they are energised about it, and we are going to do it with them. It’s exciting.
“We will elevate The Challenge Tour as well in terms of prize fund, but there will be less events for more money at each event geared towards getting stronger fields and giving the young and up-and-coming players a chance to play.
“So I’m really excited about the 2024 schedule.”
Pelley also revealed the Tour’s prize-funds would continue to grow until 2027 following the record-breaking amount on offer to the DP World Tour membership this year.
“The fact is outside the majors and the one WGC which now remains, our member also play for 144 million on the DP World Tour and that will rise through every year to 162 million by the time we get to 2027.
“In an ever-changing and challenging global landscape, I think you’ll agree that is a remarkable position for us to be in. We have stability for the next five years and a long-term option to continue after that for another eight years. We have certainty in an uncertain time with a very strategic.”
“Can we please just stop the feeder tour nonsense”
“Some of these players have said we are a feeder tour, and even made a suggestion that we are headed towards being the fifth tour in the world,” he said. “A feeder tour is a tour that exists purely to allow players to get to the next level. The Challenge Tour is a feeder tour. The Korn Ferry Tour is a feeder tour.
“I’ll ask you: Is this week a tournament that is on a feeder tour? A tournament that has sold-out crowds, television coverage around the world in 150 countries, five of the Top 15 players in the world? A tournament with 150 accredited media? Was our first co-sanctioned event with the PGA TOUR in Scotland where 14 of the Top 15 players played a tournament, would that appear on a feeder tour? I could go on and on.
“Italy, next week, for example, with the current U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick teeing it up. No, is the answer to all these questions. So can we please just stop the feeder tour nonsense once and for all.
“And as to the point of heading towards being the world’s fifth tour, one of our members who is playing here this week actually said that. It’s unbelievable. And again, let’s look at the facts. If the metrics were determining the top tours in the world is just money, then the No. 1 tour is the PGA TOUR. Always has been. You could argue that the LIV Invitational Series is No. 2. But The Asian Tour, 22.5 million; Korn Ferry, 20 million; Japan, 28 million; Australia, 5.8; Sunshine Tour, 7.4: Totalling all their prize funds together comes to just half of our tour. So even if the only metric is money, how possibly could we ever become No. 5.”
