European Tour no longer a cash bonanza

The days when membership of the European Tour was considered a gateway to riches and a luxurious lifestyle would appear to be a thing of the past judging by the lack of activity at a time of year when it should be at its busiest.

This may not be that apparent to the elite players who concentrate almost exclusively on the USPGA Tour and some of whom grudgingly play the minimum 13 tournaments required to retain membership of their home Tour.

Since the Open Championship ended on July 21st, the bigger names have contested the WGC Bridgestone World Championship and the US PGA Championship, events carrying e16m in prize money, with little or nothing for the vast majority of European Tour members who don’t qualify for such riches.