Former Ryder Cup stars Oliver Wilson, Niclas Fasth along with European Tour pin-up star Nick Dougherty have forfeited full European Tour membership for 2012. (Report by Fatiha Betscher, Hong Kong)
Nick Dougherty forfeits Race to Dubai membership after dismal 2011 season. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Wilson, Fasth and Dougherty are among a number of leading European Tour players who will be without full Tour rights next year following two rounds of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
The Hong Kong Open is the penultimate event on the 2011 Race to Dubai schedule with the leading 60 on the money list to progress to next week’s $US 7.5m season-ending Dubai World Championship.
But for the likes of Wilson, a member of the 2008 European Ryder Cup team, Fasth a member of the victorious 2002 Ryder Cup side and Dougherty who has won three times in Europe, the New Year is now a season of uncertainity.
Wilson, 31 has recorded nine second place finishes in Europe in his seven years on Tour but this year has been disappointment for the Briton golfer whose best finish in 30 events was 12th in the Qatar Masters.
Despite a birdie at the closing hole, Wilson missed the UBS Hong Kong Open halfway cut by a stroke with a round of 70 for a three over par tally.
It means Wilson cannot improve on his 130th Race to Dubai standing that is 15 places outside of retaining full 2012 Tour membership.
It is also the first occasion since joining the European Tour full time in 2005 Wilson has not retained full membership.
Fasth, a member of the 2002 European winning team and a six-time Tour winner, is ranked 132nd on the money list and could not improve his ranking after failing to tee up in Hong Kong.
Fasth, 39 has earned close to Euro 10m in his 18-year European Tour career and capped when he finished runner-up to Tom Lehman in the 2001 British Open.
Dougherty’s plight has been one of the saddest this season with the player, who was married in St. Andrews last New Year’s Eve, contesting 34 events this year but making the halfway cut in just one, the European Masters.
Dougtherty, a former winning GB & I Walker Cup star and protégé of six-time Major winner, Nick Faldo, earned just Euro 10,600 from his 45th place result in Switzerland.
He bows out of the 2011 Race to Dubai in missing the Hong Kong Open also by a stroke with scores of 72 and 71.
The European Tour will not confirm the official Race to Dubai standings for another week but others to forfeit full playing rights for 2012 include:
Australia’s Scott Strange, ranked 125th and a two-time Tour winner.
England’s John Parry, ranked 126th and winner of last year’s Vivendi Cup but with his one year victory exemption ending this year.
Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth, ranked 140th and a dual winner on the European Tour.
Ireland’s Paul McGinley, a triple winning Ryder Cup star and winner of four European Tour events who is ranked 149th but with his exemption off the all-time money list expiring this year.
Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl, ranked 155th and winner of the 2009 Celtic Manor Wales Open.
New Zealand’s Mark Brown, ranked 160th and winner of 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic.
England’s Seve Benson, ranked 161st but with a best this year of 15th in the Spanish Open and on the weekend his namesake Seve Ballesteros passed away.
