BERNARD GALLACHER’S GOLF
The success of the European Tour’s new-look schedule for 2019 will stand or fall on the commitment of our top players.
The big changes to the golfing calendar on the PGA Tour have forced us to do the same. If there was a choice between the two tours, our stars would choose America. With the US PGA moving from August to May, The Players’ Championship shifting back to March and the Fedex Cup play-offs over by the end of August, things have needed rejigging.
What jumps out straight away is seeing the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth down for September 19-22.
For as long as anyone can remember, it has been synonymous with the late Bank Holiday weekend in May, and almost heralding the start of the true golf season in the UK.
The crowds are huge, and I am confident that people will still turn out in big numbers for this new date.
One positive should be the state of the West Course. It plays better in September than at any other time of the year.
The greenkeeper will have the whole of summer to get it ready for our best players, rather than hoping for a kind winter to produce the course he wants.
But less daylight in September means the field will have to be reduced from 150, which is sad for the 20 or so who will miss out.
Next year, the PGA Tour season will be well and truly over by the time Wentworth comes around.
The date should suit the diaries of all our top players, and the money is fantastic. There is no reason why any European Tour member would want to skip it.
The PGA heralds the start of a strong finish to the season.
Between there and the Race to Dubai finale are 10 events, including five in the Rolex Series and a WGC in China.
We don’t want to see just one or two of our best players. We want the bulk of our Ryder Cup stars playing in a good chunk of these.
Seeing the likes of Rory Mcilroy, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia appearing in the Spanish, Italian and French Opens would be a tremendous boost and would help attract sponsors.
This strong autumn may even entice one or two of the elite US players to take up European Tour membership, such as World No. 1 Brooks Koepka or Rickie Fowler.
The only problem is that it’s a long time to wait until next September. Abu Dhabi in January should attract a strong field, but there is a big gap between then and the Irish Open.
The rank-and-file and new members will have to travel to the Middle East, Africa, the Far East and Australia for any golf.
That is a lot of travel and alien conditions to overcome. It’s why a lot of young players struggle at the start of their careers.
The first stop in Europe is not until May for the British Masters, which also has a new date. Tommy Fleetwood has agreed to act as host at Hillside in his hometown of Southport. That is a wonderful seaside course and it’s great that such a traditional event has been kept alive.
It is a great sacrifice on Tommy’s part because the event is scheduled for the week before the US PGA.
In an ideal world, he would either be having a week off or be playing in America as a warm-up. But he’ll be at Hillside until Sunday night to hand over the prizes.
It’s hard to imagine Sir Nick Faldo or Colin Montgomerie doing that in their prime!
Tommy will be an excellent host and should ensure good crowds.
But it’s asking a lot to expect anyone else who has qualified for the US PGA to play.