The European Tour has introduced a new formula for the 2015 Race to Dubai Play Off Series but it is any fairer?
There was plenty of confusion ahead of this year’s 2014 Final Four Series when the Tour converted euros earned into points ahead of the Final Series, with each of the final four events of the season having 10 million points on offer in the Race as opposed to its prize money total.
There was the bizarre scenario of Germany’s Marcel Siem moving from around 43rd on the Race to Dubai with his victory in the BMW Masters to 4th on the Race to Dubai.
Siem earned 1.6m points but in actual fact his take home prize money was around Euro 900,000. However the 1.6m points was added to his pre-BMW Masters prize money and thus inflated his earnings to fourth on the money list when he should have been lying outside the top-10 in money earned in 2014.
The Tour in a statement released Tuesday says the new system will remain in place for the 2015 Final Series and throughout the season one euro earned will equal one Race to Dubai point from the very first event – which takes place this week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge – until the Hong Kong Open in October.
The enhanced points system will then apply for the BMW Masters, WGC – HSBC Champions, Turkish Airlines Open and DP World Tour Championship, with the man with the most points being awarded the Harry Vardon Trophy.
Correct me if I’m wrong but is this not missing the point!
Siem can successfully defend his BMW Masters title and still earn a prize cheque for Euro 900,000 but the money he’s earned up to an including this event will be distorted by the addition of 1.6m points, and just like this season, will be added to his Order of Merit earnings.
This once again affects such issues as exemption into the Majors and WGCs?
Henrik Stenson retains his DP World Tour Championship title. (Photo – www.Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
The Tour added the points will not be reset before the Final Series like they are for the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour.
“Following the success of The 2014 Race to Dubai, won by Rory McIlroy for the second time in three years after a superb season, The European Tour has decided to implement a points system for the duration of the 2015 campaign,” said Chief Operating Officer of the European Tour Keith Waters.
“We believe that changing to a points system will help simplify and indeed enhance the narrative structure of The Race to Dubai, and particularly the Final Series which will again carry a combined 40 million points, with 1,666,600 points on offer to the winner of each event.
“The conversion to a points system will complement an exciting and robust schedule in 2015, which will feature a minimum of 47 tournaments, including the addition of five new events.”
McIlroy won this season’s Race to Dubai despite only taking part in one of the Final Series following his four victories which included the Open Championship and the US PGA Championship.
