Drysdale looks ahead to how Tour may look on its return
David Drysdale is having to go through the to-do list of jobs around the house as he patiently awaits the return of competitive golf.
But the Edinburgh man knows that the European Tour he comes back to could be very different from the one he has competed on for the best part of two decades.
It was revealed last week that Tour supremo Keith Pelley had informed the players that future prize money is likely to come down, the schedule for 2021 is to be radically different and the infrastructure at tournaments to be scaled back from what players have been accustomed to.
But for Drysdale, and his fellow pros, any chance to tee it up again this year will be gladly accepted.
“Maybe we’ve taken for granted things like courtesy cars and players’ lounges,” he said.
“But, really, they are not important in the grand scheme of things.
“If it’s behind closed doors when we play again, so be it. We’ll all be grateful to just get back to playing some tournaments.
“We probably won’t know the long-term economic effects on the Tour until after this year.
“No business is being done anywhere in Europe right now, and companies are thinking about how not to lose jobs. So sponsoring a golf event is probably the last thing on their minds.”
The PGA Tour have announced that they plan to resume tournament golf on June 11, with the Charles Schwab Challenge at
Colonial in Texas.
That will be one of four straight events that will be played without spectators.
But while they, and commissioner Jay Monahan, have been bold with their talk, it is a different story on this side of the Atlantic.
The European Tour cancelled the BMW International on June 25, and the Open de France the following week, joining 14 other events in being scratched from the calendar.
While the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick has been postponed from its original July 9 date, they are looking into alternatives.
Given the international nature of golf in Europe, Drysdale is not expecting to be back in competitive mode until late summer.
“Realistically, I think we’re looking at August or September, if we’re lucky,” assesses the 45-year-old.
“We know that Keith Pelley and the rest of the guys are working tirelessly to come up with a schedule. But it’s all up in the air.
“With all the different nationalities, and restrictions over air travel, it’s impossible to say when we’ll come back.
“There are lots of possibilities. One thing that has been suggested is to have two or three weeks in the same country – with a two-week quarantine period before – so at least people might get the chance to play.”
Drysdale first played on the European Tour in 2001 and needs just two more starts to clock up 500 tournament appearances.
He is yet to win, but he came closer than ever in the Qatar Masters last month in the final event before the shutdown. He lost out at the fifth extra hole of a playoff to Spain’s Jorge Campillo.
It wasn’t to be, but David is still proud of the staying power he has shown for nearly 20 years, as he tries to keep up with the young guns who now dominate the tour.
“I’ve had four seconds, including the one in Qatar,” says Drysdale.
“But I was proud of the way I played the 72nd hole and the five play-off holes. But Jorge was on fire with the putter.
“It will be a great achievement to get to 500 events, and I look forward to many more.
“The tour has changed a lot but age has been the biggest change. I was 26 when I first got my card but there are so many kids coming through now.
“They’re athletes, who hit it miles and are ready to win from the off.
“Take the recent event in Oman. Sami Valimaki from Finland, only 21, won on his sixth start. I’ve played 498 and am still waiting.
“That sums up what didn’t happen 20 years ago.”