Billy Horschel defends new PGA Tour agreement

Billy Horschel has defended the DP World Tour after it announced new membership opportunities for next season.

The initiative will offer PGA Tour players, ranked 126-200 on the FedEx Cup standings, full status on the DP World Tour for the following season.

And the American, who features regularly outside of the US, has argued against the initiative stealing spots from other players.

Horschel posted on X: “Another way to look at it. Ten players are leaving the DP World Tour to go play PGA Tour next year.

“So, that opens ten more spots that are usually taken. Five will be filled with Challenge Tour/Q School players and another five possibly with PGA Tour conditional members.

“I’m just showing another perspective to look at the situation. And quite possibly the correct perspective to look at the situation.”

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Former DP World Tour member Lee Westwood mocked the announcement on X, as the Englishman tweeted: “Pathway. Get it right!”

The announcement means that players who fail to secure their PGA Tour card during the Fall Series will have the chance to move tour.

As part of the Strategic Alliance between the two bodies, players who take up full membership will play from a newly created Category 12 in the 2024 DP World Tour Exemption Category list.

However, it means that only five players in that category will be able to compete on the DP World Tour in any given week.

Affiliate membership for the DP World Tour will also be available to any other PGA Tour member who competes in a Race to Dubai tournament next year.

Horschel argued that point on social media, too, claiming it does not provide any guarantees that PGA Tour players will fill the places.

He added: “These PGA Tour conditional members and quite possibly new DP World Tour members only happens if they take up membership.

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“Then they have to travel across the pond and around the world to these tournaments.”

Fellow PGA Tour player Andrew Putnam echoed Horschel’s sentiments on X, as the American defended the move.

He said: “They would be in a category that would take the top five eligible players from those 75. Very different than 75 fully exempt.”

It follows last year’s ‘Ten Cards’ initiative, which was introduced ahead of the 2023 season.

That will see the leading ten players on the 2023 Race to Dubai (not otherwise exempt) earn PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said he was ‘excited for the possibilities’.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.