The structure of events on The European Tour International Schedule will change for the 2006 season when tournaments revert to a 36 hole cut to the leading 65 professionals and those tied for 65th place. The first tournament to operate under these new guidelines will be the Volvo China Open at Shenzhen Golf Club on November 24-27, 2005. (The special eligibility and conditions of the HSBC Champions Tournament the week before include a cut to the leading 60 professionals and ties).
The cut has stood at 70 and ties since the start of the 2000 season but the Tournament Committee made the Tour’’s Executive aware of an increasing negativity amongst the Members regarding the number of occasions over the past six years when play has been in three balls and/or two tee starts at weekends.
The large number of players making the cut often necessitated the above which had a negative commercial impact when television broadcasters finishing times were affected. It was also felt that the image of the leading group on the weekend being followed by the groups from the tenth tee, or indeed the possibility of a tournament being won by a player finishing on the ninth hole was not a desirable one for sponsors, television or spectators.
Other factors which were considered by the Tournament Committee in coming to this decision were; the demands on promoters, tournament services, volunteer operations and green keeping staff in preparing for early starts at the weekends; the amount of time players needed to practise and prepare before commencing the third and fourth rounds and the reduced options available when weather delays occur.
Keith Waters, The European Tour’’s Director of International Policy, said: “This is a positive move for our sponsors, our television associates, our Members, and for everyone associated with our tournaments. It will greatly assist with the presentation and logistical operation of our tournaments at the weekends.”
