PGA TOUR TO WELCOME 10 NEW PLAYERS AS DP WORLD TOUR STARS EARN CARDS

Sunday was a day of delight and despair in Dubai as 10 DP World Tour players earned a coveted place on the PGA Tour, while others were left heartbroken as they fell at the final hurdle.

The Race To Dubai concluded with the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course, making it the final opportunity to earn points and break into the top 10 in the rankings. For the first time ever, the leading 10 players on the DP World Tour/European Tour, without a PGA Tour membership, earned 2024 cards as part of the strategic alliance between the tours.

Denmark's Ryder Cup hero Nicolai Hojgaard had already earned a PGA Tour card for 2024 but he punctuated a memorable year with a sublime eight-under-par final round of 64 to finish two shots clear of England's Matt Wallace and Tommy Fleetwood, earning a cool £2.4million in the process.

For Nicolai's twin brother, Rasmus, however, it was a painful day. He entered the final week of the season in line to claim the 10th and final PGA Tour card, but he finished tied for 11th, allowing Mathieu Pavon to capitalise. A final round of 67 put him tied fifth for the week, pushing Rasmus out of the top 10.

Although the 22-year-old won on the DP World Tour in his native Denmark in July and enjoyed a solid year, he will have to wait until next year to try to earn a place on golf's leading tour. But for the 10 men who confirmed their place on the PGA Tour for next year, Sunday was a day to remember.

Poland's Adrian Meronk, 32, endured the disappointment of missing out on Ryder Cup selection, but he had done the hard work before the season finale in the Middle East and he finished fourth in the Race To Dubai, meaning he will be a PGA Tour member for the first time next season.

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Robert MacIntyre has had a memorable 2023 after a victorious debut at the Ryder Cup, and the Scottish lefty was one of the most consistent players on the European circuit over the year, giving the 27-year-old the chance to crack America in the months ahead.

New Zealand's Ryan Fox, 36, also had a serene week on the Earth Course knowing he had a place on the PGA Tour in the bag thanks to a big win at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September.

Scotland-based Frenchman Victor Perez and Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen were also winners on the DP World Tour in 2023 and they will be playing in the United States next year.

Alexander Bjork, Sami Valimaki, Jorge Campillo, Ryo Hisatsune and Pavon round off the list, and they are eligible to make their bows as PGA Tour members at the Sony Open in Hawaii from January 11-14.

2023-11-20T14:27:20Z dg43tfdfdgfd