We have to wait another week for the DP World Tour to start their 2024 campaign with the Dubai Invitational
By By Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer
The PGA Tour kicks off this week with its opening event of 2024 – the Sentry, at the Plantation Course in Maui – the first signature event of the season with golfers playing for a purse of $20 million.
Previously, the rebranded signature events were called designated events. The winner’s dollar share will be announced this week before the first ball is struck in anger.
We have to wait another week for the DP World Tour to start their 2024 campaign with the Dubai Invitational followed by the HERO Dubai Desert Classic and then further events in the region in Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain and Qatar. Quite a start for UAE and Middle East golf as it becomes the focus of world golf.
There will be eight signature events on the PGA Tour this season – not including the Majors, Players Championship and the Play-Offs.
Traditionally, this season opener was exclusively for tournament winners – and now PGA Tour winners for 2023 plus the Top 50 in the 2022 – 23 FedEx Cup standings are all eligible to play.
It is no surprise that a strong field has been assembled including Matt Fitzpatrick, Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose and Matt Wallace.
A limited field and increased prize money is another feature of these signature events.
Eligibility for the remaining seven signature events includes the Top 50 from the 2022 – 23 FedEx Cup Rankings as well as 15 members who can play their way in through The Next 10 and The Swing 5.
The Next 10, is players in the Top 10 of the FedEx Cup standings the week prior to the signature event and The Swing 5 is players who accumulate the most FedEx Cup points in the few weeks before a signature event.
PGA Tour
The Sentry
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th January, 2024
Venue: Plantation Course, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, US
Purse: $20 million
Schedule of Signature Events for 2024:
February 29th – March 4th, 2024: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
February 12th – 18th, 2024: The Genesis Invitational.
March 4th – 12th, 2024: Arnold Palmer Invitational.
April 15th – 18th, 2024: RBC Heritage.
May 6th – 12th, 2024: Wells Fargo Championship.
June 3rd – 9th, 2024: The Memorial.
June 17th – 23rd, 2024: Travelers Championship.