DP World Tour Golf

What is the DP World Tour in golf?

The DP World Tour is Europe's premier professional men's golf tour: a season comprising dozens of tournaments, played primarily in Europe but also in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It is the second-largest men's golf tour in the world, behind the U.S. PGA Tour.

The name comes from its main partner, DP World, a Dubai-based port logistics group. The name change was announced in November 2021 and has been in effect since the 2022 season.

DP World Tour or European Tour: Are they the same thing?

Yes. The DP World Tour is simply the new name of the European Tour (European Tour). The organization, the players, and the tournaments have remained the same; only the tour's name has changed. You will therefore still often see “European Tour” in articles and player biographies.

Where did the DP World Tour come from?

• 1972: The British PGA is creating an integrated European tour that combines British tournaments with events from continental Europe into a single ranking system.
• 1984: The tour has become independent of the British PGA. It has since been governed by its member players through a board of directors.
• 2009: The former “Order of Merit” is replaced by the Race to Dubai.
• 2017: launch of the Rolex Series, a selection of tournaments with larger prize pools.
• 2020: Strategic partnership with the PGA Tour.
• 2022: first season under the name DP World Tour.

The circuit's headquarters are located at the Wentworth Club, near London.

How does a season work?

The Race to Dubai

Each tournament awards points based on the final standings. The total of these points determines the season standings, the Race to Dubai. The best players qualify for the end-of-season tournaments, which culminate in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The player who finishes first in the final standings wins the Race to Dubai, the most coveted title on the tour.

Tournaments

The schedule combines historic national open tournaments (including the French Open), Rolex Series tournaments, and the BMW PGA Championship, held at Wentworth and considered the flagship event of the circuit. The schedule and prize money change every year: please check the circuit's official website for the current season.

The Cut and the Cards

In most four-round tournaments, only the highest-ranked players after two rounds advance: this is the cut. To play the entire season, a player must hold a tour “card,” which is earned through the previous year’s rankings, a second-division tour (the HotelPlanner Tour, formerly the Challenge Tour), or qualifying tournaments. Thanks to the partnership with the PGA Tour, the top finishers in the final standings also earn a card for the U.S. tour.

What does this have to do with the Ryder Cup?

The DP World Tour is one of the organizations that helps run the Ryder Cup on the European side, and the points earned on the tour count toward selection for the European team. This is one of the reasons why the best European players remain members of the tour, even when they play primarily in the United States.