The US PGA Tour vs. European Tour

The past few seasons in international golf could easily be seen as a period of transition. Since the personal and career turmoil that beset Tiger Woods almost three years ago, the international golf scene has become unpredictable and highly competitive, with young players rising up to challenge the old guard – and most of these young players are European.

Golf may have its roots in Scotland, but in the twentieth century the game took on a decidedly American flavour. Following the success of early American golfing greats like Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, the US PGA Tour rose to prominence in the post-world war 2 era as the US Masters, PGA Championship and US Open dominated the Grand Slam of golf. American golfers, including Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and the legendary Tiger Woods retained a stranglehold on the world golf rankings – until 2009.
The past three seasons have witnessed a changing of the guard in world golf. The fall of Tiger Woods coincided with the rise of several young European players, including the current world number one, Rory McIlroy. Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, the Molinari brothers and many other talented players from the Continent have risen to the top of the international golf rankings, yet the US PGA Tour still remains more prestigious in the minds of many golf fans and players alike.

Despite producing the most talented players in world golf today, Europe is losing many of its young talent to the US PGA Tour, which offers excellent prize money, opportunities for sponsorship, and the added prestige of playing in North America, where three out of four majors take place each year. While the European Tour has lifted itself from the lows it experienced 15 years ago, it will take a few more years before the balance of power in golf across the Atlantic is fully equalized.

A Golf Weather
Editorial