There is a heated battle at the top of the European Order Of Merit which will be resolved in a couple of weeks time in southern Spain. It would appear to be the decline of the Montgomerie empire - after all, even the American president has to stand down after eight years.
Monty will not cede without a final stand in Valderrama, although his demise seems certain: only if he wins the , and the other contenders fail will the "king" wear the crown for another year.
The influence of the World Golf Championship event, the American Express Championship at Valderrama, on our final rankings does heighten the disparity on the European Tour between those included and those not eligible. We are marching inexorably towards a situation where the leading players are becoming somewhat untouchable, living in the sanctuary of the World Golf Championships. The leading runners have their support teams with oxygen and liquids at the ready, the newcomers are gasping a long way behind the pack, unassisted.
Ian Woosnam is an interesting example of a slow starter on the Tour (it took him several attempts at the Qualifying School to initially seal his place). There is a serious possibility that due to lack of finance several Woosnams are now being neglected on the "newcomer" tour (the Challenge Tour), and may slide back to the pro-shop wondering what might have been if the system had been slightly more supportive in those early years.
Woosnam travelled around Europe unassisted in a camper van and agrees that in those days you could move about without big funding. Woosnam reckons that it would take £50,000 to travel the Tour today. This means that unless the aspiring golfer has a wealthy backer or another source of income the chances of being able to afford three goes at the tour school are slim.
Club de Campo in Madrid will be the first of a two-part tragi-comedy acted out by the supporting cast of European Tour survivors. The second act takes place in Sardinia the following week.
These are the golfers who are battling to keep their playing rights for next year. They are not thinking of accolades, trophies, egoistic confrontations like their superiors down on the Costa del Sol will be in a few weeks time. They have not had the "agonising" decision to make, as to whether or not to play at Valderrama with its guaranteed $25,000 prizemoney for last place. They certainly don't have to worry about the parking fees for their private jets at Malaga airport.
Thank goodness for EasyJet who have shunted them down to Madrid for a reasonable fare.
Somehow, after a frugal year, these thespians of the links have to scrape together winnings of anything from £500 to £50,000 over these final two tournaments in order to have playing rights for next year, and save their careers. (Theoretically anyone from 200 to 110 on the rankings is battling for survival). Even if the unlikely happens and they succeed they are not thinking of the money - anyone making £75,000 on the Tour over a year is not expecting to have any surplus cash and may be actually losing money.
They are players nonetheless and they make up the field in the tournaments, even if they are only in cameo roles. Despite most people's desire to watch their heroes play, an event would be quite Spartan-looking without 120 players pegging it up each week. The philosophy of the executive of the tour is that these "also-rans" are not worth supporting. Better to provide a bigger "incentive" at the top than swell the amount earned by those in the lower ranks. The winner of the order of merit will win well over £1,500,000 while the player who secures 115th position (last place to keep your card) will earn about £75,000.
The gap between the top and bottom is too great. The leading caddie in Europe (on 10 per cent of £1.5m) will earn almost twice as much as the golfer who finishes 115th in the final rankings. Perhaps players at this level on tour would consider picking up the bag of a top player. A lot less hassle and with the guarantee of a weekly wage, it might be a consideration for a struggling pro.
The Challenge Tour is the breeding ground for new talent - a pre-school, if you like, for the main tour. Unless you finish in the top five in the final Challenge Tour rankings with earnings of about £30,000 you are undoubtedly going to lose money - with an average of 15 events a year those earnings could not possibly cover expenses. The top 15 earn their card for the main tour the following year.
There is undoubtedly a great financial incentive at the top end of the tour for newcomers, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult for them to gain access to that elite arena of the World Championships.
Many people take out bank loans to go to college and further their education and hopefully their earning power in future years. There is support for the alumnis in a learning situation. There is none for the European Tour's golf students. It is time the European Tour was more supportive of "pupils" in need.
