Min Woo Lee – with last year’s trophy but no PGA Tour card then – photo DP World Tour Getty Images
This week’s Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick offers an opportunity to not only win one of the European Tour’s more significant events, but, for the first time in the history of the event it provides the winner with a PGA Tour card.
The now closer alliance between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour has resulted in a cross pollination of several events between the tours and this week’s Genesis Scottish Open, the Barabasol Championship in Kentucky and next week’s Barracuda Championship in California all now count toward both order of merit tables.
In a practical sense as far as this week’s Genesis Scottish Open is concerned, is that a victory would open the door to the riches of the PGA Tour for someone who does not already hold a PGA Tour card.
Several Australasians including defending champion Min Woo Lee will be keen to emulate his massive performance of twelve months ago when he defeated Matthew Fitzpatrick and Thomas Detry in a playoff to win €1,123,300 and jump from 240th to 61st in the world ranking at the time.
The one thing Lee did not gain last year however but could in 2022 is a PGA Tour card as a result of his victory and although he has been able to play nine events in the USA this year, Lee has still to earn playing rights on the PGA Tour.
“The Australian’s play-off success last year was his second DP World Tour victory, following his win on home soil at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in 2020, as he finished last season inside the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking,” said the DP World Tour.
“On his debut at the Masters Tournament in April, Lee shot a record-tying front nine of six-under-par 30 in the final round to finish tied 15th at Augusta National Golf Club.”
“Last year at the Renaissance Club was such an awesome experience, said Lee. “I was proud of my game on Sunday and how I closed out the play-off for my first Rolex Series title,” he said. “It was a huge win and opened up even more experiences, like playing in The Open for the first time the following week. My aim is to keep my hands on that trophy this season.”
Ryan Fox is another who is in a similar situation this week given his recent form and that he has been inside the top six on two occasions in this event previously. His near miss last week in Ireland continued an outstanding season for the 35-year-old and if he could find a way tow in he would gain full playing rights on the PGA Tour.
With 14 of the leading 15 ranked players in the field it is not about to be an easy task but that could have been said prior to Min Woo Lee’s win last year also although this is a stronger field in 2022.
Other Australasians in the field are Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Jason Scrivener, Scott Hend and Maverick Antcliff with Scrivener, Hend and Antcliff all without PGA Tour status at this stage.
The Australian’s play-off success was his second DP World Tour victory, following his win on home soil at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in 2020, as he finished last season inside the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking. On his debut at the Masters Tournament in April, Lee shot a record-tying front nine of six-under-par 30 in the final round to finish tied 15th at Augusta National Golf Club. “Last year at the Renaissance Club was such an awesome experience. I was proud of my game on Sunday and how I closed out the play-off for my first Rolex Series title,” he said. “It was a huge win and opened up even more experiences, like playing in The Open for the first time the following week. My aim is to keep my hands on that trophy this season.”
