Villegas Considering Euro Tour Options

Mark Reason reports on George O'Grady probably saying more than he should. But either way, add Camilo to the growing list mulling more European Tour appearances.

George O’Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, told The Sunday Telegraph, that the Gulf States were about to flex their financial muscles in terms of pulling in the world’s top golfers. The inconceivable prize money that such oil-rich countries can offer has started to arouse the interest of the glitterati of the American Tour.

O’Grady said: “We’ve been talking to Phil Mickelson for some time. I talked personally to him at the Scottish Open and to his management at the Ryder Cup. Villegas is also managed by IMG and they have been making inquiries on his behalf.

“Sergio Garcia has said that he will play more on the European Tour next year and he is close friends with Camilo. Sergio’s and Camilo’s management are keen to get to the Latin-speaking audiences. So will Camilo play in Sergio’s tournament [the Castello Masters] next year?

Comments

[WP]

Is this the start of the switch in power away from the US Tour? It won't happen overnight, but if the US economy tanks as bad as it looks it will, how many companies will have both the mega bucks and the motivation required to be sponsoring golf tournaments?

Very interesting times.

[Greg]

Why even call it the European Tour anymore? Almost half of the tournmaments aren't played in Europe. And when they do play in Europe, they often play on bland courses.

And I'm the only one who really detests this whole 'Race to Dubai" thing? Dubai has become a playground (built by what is essentially slave labor) for rich Euorpeans. The local population doesn't give a crap about golf.

[Greg]

"Very interesting times."

No, not very interesting at all if you ask me. What would be interesting is if the European Tour actually focused on playing the great courses of Europe.

[Hawkeye]

Most of the great courses in Europe are, sadly, logistic nightmares in this day and age.

[WP]

Greg,

Of course, Europe is unlikely to fare much better than the US out of this mess, so the European Tour will be feeling quite chuffed by their connections in the Middle East and Asia. Expect to see an even greater focus on these areas in coming years.

The chances of playing tournaments on the 'great' courses of Europe, most of which reside in the UK, are becoming smaller by the day. As Hawkeye has said, logistics is one key aspect, but sponsors and course availability is another.

[thusgone]

"latin-speaking audiences"?

[Steven T.]

John Daly will be there.

[jneu]

Yes, thusgone, "Latin-speaking audiences." Old-school Catholics and very old schoolteachers make up the key demographic for the Euro Tour.

[Hawkeye]

And I had you pinned down as the most sensible of the regulars here, jneu! ;) I am willing to bet that it's us liberal atheist protestants in the northern regions (some of us young schoolteachers like myself) who are the demographic target of most of the sponsorship money on the European Tour. I don't believe they have a golf channel in Italy or Spain.

[Raider Fan]

Tim Finchem can only blame himself. Lousy venues and strict rules have forced the players hands.

[Ha]

What about appearance fees? Are the stars being enticed with that?

[Old Tom]

By focusing so much on the golf courses, you guys are completely missing the point. It's not about the courses - the average golf viewer couldn't give a crap about what course the pros are playing - it's about the personalities. The US tour is dull, boring and bland. The players are facless copies of one another and nobody cares about them. The Euro tour has personality and interesting places with loads of history etc. What we should have is a world tour for the best of the best with only a few select stops in the US. The nationwide should become the american tour for the people who like their golf to be served up like McDonalds food.

[Andy Brown]

This is big news and something that must have Tim Finchem and his buddies alarmed. The latest sensation on tour (well he has been on one since he stated his spiderman style reading of the putt) considering to move over to greener pastures must have the organizers of the PGA Tour and sponsors worried. While the effect might not be visible immediately because players just have to alter one or two commitments to honour their European Tour card it sure flashes a big warning signal.

I think more than the fact that the European Tour is hardly played in Europe worry, I think the fact the PGA Tour is limited largely to one country makes it a bit of a put off especially considering the number of international players making it big on tour. Is it possible for the PGA Tour to take on a more international look? I doubt it and anyway even if they tried we know that the European Tour has already bolted ahead many years back. Now this ‘spreading’ of the European Tour is finally resulting in some top notch competition and fields.

Like it or not, I personally feel it definitely marks the start of the European Tour beginning to undermine the importance of the PGA Tour and I will not be surprised if sooner than later people might make it their single most important ambition to play on the European Tour instead of the PGA Tour.

[Hawkeye]

I agree with most of your sentiments, Old Tom and Andy Brown, but we mustn't forget that at the end of the day, three of the four majors are played in the US. No matter how big the (International) Euro Tour grows, the balance will always tilt towards the old west during the summer.