posted Nov 1, 2007

I couldn't agree with Barrow Boy's comments more. The mis-management of the European Tour is becoming laughable, I'm sure Tim Finchem is rubbing his hands:

Examples:

- The ongoing spat with the Asian Tour and moving in on Asian markets

- Dogmatically sticking to the Volva masters date, which leads to each season starting in the previous year

- Sticking with the European Tour brand, when it clearly is not

Given the strength of the US Tour, everybody can see that there is a glaring need for the other tours to come together to create a world tour schedule. It could work like this:

Jan - South Africa (open with the Nedbank Challenge which is converted to a winners only event)
Feb - Middle East
Mar / Apr - Asia
May - Sep - Europe
Oct / Nov - Asia
Dec - Australia

Bottom line is that most people will only switch the TV on to see the top players. At least half the European events now have absolutely no interest. The tours are missing the point by competing with each other, there are ony so many weeks the top players can play.

Somebody should get the tour heads in a room, lock the door and only let them out once this is resolved.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 1, 2007

Many moons ago the European Tour was the only place you could qualify for Ryder Cup points. When they changed the RC points system to incorporate the World Points system, it then allowed Europe's top players at the time to go and play on the PGA Tour which was financially more beneficial to them. The only way of attracting the top European players back onto the European Tour circuit is to revert back to the 'historical' Ryder Cup Points scoring system - of course this will only work every other year!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 1, 2007

I notice the BBC have Rose home country as "SA" on their leaderboard. Is that tongue in cheek BBC?? lol

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 1, 2007

another reason why the volvo masters has been devalued is the extended exemptions given to the likes of Sandy Lyle and Ronan Rafferty. how can this be described as the european tour championship when players who have done very little for years are included in the field?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 1, 2007

Its pretty obvious that all sportsmen value some 'honours' more than others.
Padraig was over the moon when he won the OM last year and said it was nearly as good as winning a major.
Some sportsmen prefer to honour contracts (whether it be out of loyalty and good manners or legal ramifications if they don't turn up is debatable), I'd like to think that gentlemen like Ernie and Lee W have this outlook.
The 3rd group of people are those that prefer to chase a few thousand dollars for finishing 23rd in a backwater somewhere in the darkest reaches of the US.
These are the ones that either probably can't afford the luxury of choosing to play where the non-monetary 'honours' are or prefer the buck to the roll of honour.
Clashing of scheduling doesn't help these guys in the slightest.
I agree that its a bit weird to have the 2008 season starting in 2007. 52 events next year I believe.
Is this not overkill?
The better players will always pick and choose the better tournaments to suit their own plans whether they fall into the first group above or not.
This is a real shame and will not help to keep the OM as a coveted title.
Why not have a simple ranking system like the world rankings.
Have points based on the quality of the opposition in the field rather than how much cash is on offer. Winning the world matchplay will always push 1 man into the frame whether he's played 35 tournaments or 10.
Why not take the spirit of the Fed Ex and give each European Tour event winner 50 points plus a bonus for the number of Top 20 world players in the field. Points decrease down to 35th place.
Whoever is the most consistent over a high number of events will the OM.
This shouldn't get confused with the official rankings or the Ryder Cup qualifying but will be a nice aside for the most consistent and frequent supporters of the European Tour.
A play off system has proved to not excite the players or fans.
Just have a sponsor put up a decent cash prize for the winner plus one for the most improved player from the previous year to encourage the lesser players too.
Simple innit!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 2, 2007

And after all the rhetoric, Ernie's gone and missed the cut . . . . .

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 3, 2007

The tours most important prize should be for those who win all their money on the European Tour, in other words only money won in Europe should count. A few years ago Monty was beaten by Darren Clarke because Darren won a million in a world competition. As none of the tournaments in Europe have a million pounds counting towards the Order of Merit, so its possible a tour player could win twice on the world stage, miss the cut in every other European Tour event, or at lease earn very little on low placings, and then win the Order of Merit, what merit in that? Lets see a change to the rules, biased towards European players playing on the European Tour.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 3, 2007

‘McGinley’s Master’-rumours

let hear, that he will not be accounted for his achievements in ’Volvo Master’, regarding neither OM nor RC-qualification. Can anyone confirm these rumours as I have found myself unable to verify them? -
In case I gather it must go for Cejka, Lyle and Rafferty as well, though the latter decently has withdrawn.
Any rightfully qualified player in this special season ending event - tied or placed below any of these adventurous invitationals - have their rights to feel deprived of their ordinary share of the ‘Price Fund’ as well as of WR-points.
Unless of course ET declines to pay these adventurers ’appearance-money’ according to their respective placements - like non counting amateurs.
Am I the only one to realize this particular principally problem? - or will Iain Carter follow up on dilemmas he’s invited to discus? -

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 3, 2007

To be honest, the order of merit was always a farce, because of the majors, once the golden age of the European tour came along, (Seve, Faldo,Lyle, Langer, Woosnam and Ollie ),palyed a lot of tounaments in America and won. Jacklin started this 10 years earlier. Would the order of merit results been the same if the three majors in America had counted toward the money list as it does now ? Faldo would have won more than two I imagine. Once Tiger jet propelled the money prizes on the PGA tour it was always going to be this way anyway, with the European tour looking afar for venues to compete. Montys 8 order of merits is amazing in itself, but wouldnt have won as many if he competed in America like the big boys did.In the end, hes just a better version of Torrance, James, and the like. Order of merits are good, but will never be majors.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 4, 2007

MONEY! The same with all other major sports (or more honestly business)..be it F1, Tennis (ATP & WTA), not to mention Football (FIFA, UEFA, et al)...

We (are also to blame) because we have now reached a point where we (the public) demand so much on them (the performers) but there is now a third party...the money people (PR, agents, marketing, sponsorship, etc)...

Maybe, we the public (fans) expect it all to be so simple (always like the old days) when you could just walk up and shake hands with Graham Hill, Jack Nicklaus, Andre Agassi, Bobby Moore, Seve, and a whole host of other great performers (because they would be there as it said on the ticket you bought).

Now, try getting within 10 metres of Tiger at the tournament that you paid your hard cash to see the great one..no chance!

But never mind, he probably wouldn't have been there anyway because he was more likely double-booked by Nike (for a more lucrative deal) and so is trying to get some sleep on a private jet heading towards...!

This last cock-up (be it in golf)is just a symptom of 'professional' sport as a whole today (IMHO)

add comment | complain about this comment