'European golf in rude health but sponsor demands solutions to fractured game'

Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick gave the European season a fitting send off with arguably the best finale we have witnessed at a DP World Tour Championship.

McIlroy's eagle to force a play-off, similar to what he did en route to winning the Irish Open in September, was in keeping with this sensational Masters-winning season. Fitzpatrick confirmed his welcome return to form with his first victory in two years.

Their performances in pipping a gaggle of victorious Ryder Cup team-mates show the European game is in rude health. But what about the DP World Tour (DPWT) and men's professional golf in general after a thrilling year inside the ropes?

There are still a host of questions regarding the future. The sport remains fractured since the arrival of the breakaway LIV Golf league in 2022.

"The world of professional golf is still a little weird and who knows what the future is going to look like," McIlroy admitted after winning his seventh Race to Dubai title on Sunday.

The 36-year-old Northern Irishman is right, but "a little weird" is something of an understatement with so much still to be resolved.

There are the long drawn-out appeals by Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton to be heard. Their cases will determine whether they can continue to play for Europe.

There is also a new regime in charge of the PGA Tour, the European circuit's strategic alliance partners, with little representation of the old world tour at the top of the Florida-based behemoth's managerial structure.

Nevertheless, performances on the course ensured a compelling season which stoked interest and grew viewing and listening figures throughout the year.

A sensational Ryder Cup victory in New York by Luke Donald's team capped a campaign in which McIlroy became the first man from the continent to complete the career Grand Slam and Tommy Fleetwood won America's FedEx Cup.

Off the back of these successes a new 10-year multi-million dollar deal with title sponsors DP World was announced last week. "You wouldn't be doing that without success inside the ropes," European Tour Group chief executive Guy Kinnings told BBC Sport.

"It is a recognition that one of the biggest brands in the world sees the value in golf in itself and recognises where we are in the game of golf."

McIlroy concurs. "The DP World Tour, with everything that's gone down in the game of golf, has somehow found itself in a very strong position," he told me, pointing to the "commitment" of the title sponsor and the success of the Ryder Cup team.

He also said the "amazing events like this, from the start of September through to the end of January" means the "DP World Tour is the shining light of golf during that time frame".

"It's amazing that all of the players that are coming to play in those events, and hopefully that continues for a long time."

But despite this and their investment in the European game, DP World - a multi-national Dubai-based logistics giant - also believe that there is still an awful lot to fix in the sport.

"The only solution to the golfing world is for all three major parties to come together," stated Daniel Van Otterdijk, DP World's group chief Communications officer.

"That's LIV/Asian Tour, European Tour and the PGA Tour, because, if nothing else, golf fans want that."

Van Otterdijk added: "Scottie Scheffler is number one in the world. But is he? How do you know? You don't know.

"Where's Jon Rahm? Where's Brooks Koepka? Where's Bryson DeChambeau? They could be number one, for all we know, if they played equal events, and they didn't have all the penalties and all the other nonsense that goes with it. Then it might be different.

"It feels a little bit like the boxing world. You're the world champion at WBA. But not WBC. So is he better than you are?

"And it's only really when you're the unified world champion that you can claim that you're truly the world champion, right?

"Well, nobody can claim that right now. So even to the players it must feel a little hollow."

Van Otterdijk does not share McIlroy's rosy view of the shape of the golf calendar. "I can't say that we are totally enamoured with the schedule as it stands," he said.

"I'd like to see a more integrated tour throughout the year, with DPWT events popping up and more players playing on our tour, particularly the American players."

That would need a significant shift in approach from the PGA Tour under its new boss Brian Rolapp, who was recruited earlier this year from the NFL.

There is little sign of a more global outlook, especially with the tour's backing from the American-based Strategic Sports Group. The PGA Tour's alliance with the European tour is up for renegotiation from 2027.

"The strategic alliance is very strong," Kinnings insisted. "We work closely and I've really enjoyed interacting and working with Brian.

"We speak regularly. He's got a big job and he's clearly well equipped to do it. You've got people, who I think will bring a fresh approach but one where we are working closely with them."

As part of the relationship, the leading 10 DPWT players without playing privileges in America receive PGA Tour cards. It is a popular incentive among the continental circuit's players.

Among those celebrating new lives stateside next season are Englishmen Marco Penge, Laurie Canter, John Parry and Jordan Smith.

This close relationship between the tours on either side of the Atlantic mutually strengthens their positions while Saudi Arabia-funded LIV tries to make inroads against the golfing establishment.

Kinnings had no comment on their move from 54 to 72 holes next season. "It is entirely a decision they should make for the best for them," he said. "I wouldn't expect them to comment on what we do."

But a solution still needs to be found if the likes of Rahm and Hatton are able to retain the DPWT membership required for them to remain eligible for Ryder Cup teams.

Both are appealing against fines and suspensions imposed since their switches to LIV in 2024.

Kinnings agrees it needs sorting out.

"It does," he said. "That's a matter that's in the hands of the lawyers and so for me it would be wrong to be commenting any further about that. But that's in process."

Van Otterdijk wonders whether both players could be tempted to return to the establishment tours when their LIV contracts run out.

"Those guys may decide, look, we've made our money on the LIV tour," he speculated. "We'd like to go back to do other tours.

"How exactly that'll happen, I don't know. That'll be be the other interesting bit. Do they come back via the European tour, for example?

"As it currently stands, there is a roadblock back to the PGA Tour. They can't come back to that tour.

"But I would foresee that Guy might look at this and say, well come back via the European tour, earn one of the 10 cards and make your way back that way. That maybe be a good way of doing it, and that would suit us."

While publicly Kinnings is understandably cautious and circumspect about the future, the backers who lend their name to his tour are more outspoken. Money talks and DP World are putting plenty of it into the game.

They are convinced golf is approaching a crunch time. The splintered nature of men's professional golf cannot continue, even when someone as transcendently charismatic as McIlroy is reigning supreme.

Van Otterdijk brokered the latest deal which offers Kinnings' organisation a significant measure of security. But the DP World sponsorship boss wants more and is demanding unity.

"I think it's the only solution," he said. "They all see the need and the benefit of it. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to get it the way they want it.

"And that's the issue, that's where concessions and conciliations will need to be made. We've been very clear to all three parties that we've had discussions with.

"Listen to the fans and listen to the sponsors because without those two groups, you don't have a product and the players don't have any money to play for.

"So, I'm sure they will. Three different parties have a view to the same outcome, but they have three different ways of getting there.

"That's the challenge, right? That's the challenge to overcome."