In a monumental shift, the European Tour is rebranding its name to the DP World Tour, thanks to a sponsorship deal with Emirati logistics company DP World.
Momentus shifts are happening with the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour. Golf’s second largest competition body after the PGA Tour is undergoing a huge makeover. From the start of the 2022 season, which is also The Tour’s 50th year in existence, the name will come into effect formally: The DP World Tour. Every event on the DP World Tour in 2022 will have a minimum prize fund of two million US dollars. To add more weight to the 2022 season, there are 47 events scheduled in 27 different countries. The DP World Tour is fast becoming one of the most global organisations in sport.
The sponsorship deal and change of title is, according to European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley, a better reflection of the global nature of the tour. Similarly, the Race to Dubai was won last week be major debutant Colin Morikawa, the first American to win The Race to Dubai. 24-year-old Morikawa also won the 149th Open Championship in 2021, as well as the PGA Championship in 2020. The investment of DP World into the European Tour & golf as an sporting industry establishes its dominance in the international sphere and dispels the credibility of the Premier Golf League, a fledgling British-based golf group.
The DP World Tour’s 2022 season actually started on the 25th of November 2021, and will run through to 20 November 2022. The global image that the DP World Tour is attempting to project is welcome in the sphere golf and a step forward for the sport. There will be an additional Rolex Series event under the Tour brand (five instead of four): The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, The Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the DP World Tour Championship. The 2022 season will see a prize pool of events that exceeds USD 200 million.
