The Scottish Open is to be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour next season, and two of the four World Golf Championships are to be scrapped as part of host of major changes announced by the PGA Tour and the European Tour for the 2021/22 tournament schedule.
Korean carmakers Genesis have been confirmed as the new title sponsor for the Scottish Open for the next three years, with the 2022 renewal being played the week before The 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in July, while the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship will also count towards both the FedExCup and the Race to Dubai from next season.
There will be 50 places on offer for European Tour players at both the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship, which coincide with the Genesis Scottish Open and The 150th Open next year.
As part of the new strategic alliance between the PGA Tour and the European Tour, the Irish Open will have its prize fund doubled to $6m, starting with next year’s tournament, the venue for which has yet to be announced.
The WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas is currently the only confirmed World Golf Championship event scheduled for the 2021-22 season. The WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational, which takes place this week, is being renamed the FedEx St Jude Championship for next season and will replace Northern Trust as the title sponsor for the start of the FedEx Cup series in August. The WGC-Workday Championship has been removed from the schedule, while the WGC-HSBC Champions event in China is waiting confirmation.
Europe Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “When we announced the Strategic Alliance at the end of last year, we said it was a landmark moment for global golf’s ecosystem that would benefit all members of both Tours. Today’s announcement underlines that promise, with further enhancements to the Genesis Scottish Open, a strengthening of the Irish Open for our members, and direct access for European Tour members to two PGA Tour events.
“There has been considerable collaboration behind the scenes between our two Tours since November’s Alliance was unveiled, and we are delighted to share these initial developments, which demonstrate our commitment to working together for the betterment of our sport globally. We will have more to announce in the coming months – this is most definitely just the beginning.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan added: “Adding an existing, strong title sponsor in Genesis to our Strategic Alliance in the form of the Genesis Scottish Open – to be sanctioned by both Tours – is a significant step for the global game. With today’s news, I am pleased to say that the PGA Tour and the European Tour are both stronger than at any time in our history, as we are positioned to grow – together – over the next 10 years faster than we have at any point in our existence. We are committed to continuing to evolve and adapt, and with our ever-strengthening partnership with the European Tour, to take the global game to the heights we all know it is capable of.”
The 2021/22 PGA Tour season begins on September 16 with the Fortinet Championship in California, the week before the Ryder Cup. The European Tour has yet to announce its full schedule for the 2021/22 season.