Ten cards for the PGA Tour is an exciting chance – but the DP World Tour is no-one’s feeder tour, believes Scott Jamieson.
The cards are available for high finishers in the Race to Dubai as part of the recast strategic alliance. A good result in the Hero Open may help Jamieson get one, and he lies in second place at halfway at Fairmont St Andrews after rounds of 66 and 65.
The Glaswegian lives in Florida, so playing the PGA Tour would be convenient for him. But he played both the recent co-sanctioned events in the US and thinks the grass isn’t that greener.
Facilities for players on the DP World are better than across the Atlantic, he thinks.
‘A lot of guys don’t appreciate that’
Great day @TitleistEurope checking right through the bag looking for any potential gains. Amazing facility. First class service from a first class brand. Thank you guys! 🙏🏼⛳️🏌🏽♂️ pic.twitter.com/Wp2ChTbHTh
— Scott Jamieson (@scottjamieson54) May 20, 2022
“I’d rather have been playing in the Scottish Open obviously, but it wasn’t to be,” he said. “It was interesting getting to see how a run-of-the-mill PGA Tour operates.
“Albeit it is their lowest-budget events, it makes you realise that we have things really nice here in Europe. I think a lot of guys don’t appreciate that.”
The new cards open up opportunities when there’s been a loss of the WGCs and a realignment of world ranking points, he pointed out.
“We are certainly not a feeder tour by any means, but I think having this new access is great. Really it’s not massively different to how it’s always been, as guys would play well enough in WGCs or majors to make that step to the PGA Tour..
“We don’t really have WGCs any more and, given what is going to happen to the world rankings next year, we are going to have less access to some majors as well.
“So to have (the 10 cards) in place is nice and it’s very achievable. I think I finished 26th one year, but I’d be surprised if it stays as high as that, as you will have more regular members finishing a little higher up the list.
“But I’m excited about that chance – I think it’s great.”
‘It’s remarkably soft’
The Hero Open returns to the Torrance Course at the Fairmont St Andrews this weekend. Great venue!
Take a look: https://t.co/X6Zq678HFW#golftravel #travelgroup pic.twitter.com/TASmX9DIzV
— # Golf Travel ⛳️ (@HashtagGolfUK) July 29, 2022
As for himself, Jamieson made his usual strong start to the season but after a difficult May and June feels has his mojo back.
“I’ve been really good tee to green here,” he said. “Yesterday was a good start. I would never turn my nose up at six under but it felt like I’d left a lot out there.
“Today was better. It’s that kind of course, if you’re playing well you will give yourself a lot of chances. You’ve got to stay patient.
“If you get a 15-20mph wind, all of a sudden three-under-par becomes a good score here. But, like most links courses, if you get it in these benign conditions, it’s kind of there for the taking.
“It’s remarkably soft as well, which is unusual, and that’s another aspect because the fairways become wider and the greens become bigger when it is this soft.”