Will Dustin Webb, Keegan, Bubba, or Rickie Fowler Seek Euro Tour Slot in 2013?

The European Tour announced this week the addition of the new $7 million Turkish Open to be played in early November next year.  Will this induce more PGA Tour members be tempted to try dual membership on the European Tour?

Several European Tour members currently reside in the U.S. and play on both the PGA and European Tours.  Most notable of that group is Luke Donald, who won the money titles for both the PGA and the European Tours in 2011.

The European Tour announced this week that they will include participation on a Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup or Seve Trophy team as a qualified appearance to meet that tour’s annual number of entry requirements.

The European Tour currently requires members to appear in 13 sanctioned events.  The PGA Tour requires 15 appearances.

Players can earn eight official appearances for both tours in the four majors plus the four WGC events.  Add to that one appearance for an international team event, and a player is at nine official appearances for the European Tour as well as the PGA Tour.

Most top golfers travel to the Middle East in January for appearance fee money.  They can also pick up a European Tour appearance in one of the co-sponsored events on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa.

Big purse hunters will want to add the new Turkish Open to their bank account, which adds another European Tour event to the list.  If they qualify for the 60-man field for the European Tour’s season ending Dubai World Championship the following week, a player would only be required to add one additional European Tour tournament to reach the 13 event mandate.

This is very doable indeed for the top golfers.

Can a true World Golf Tour be far behind? 

Maybe the “Silly Season” won’t be so silly after all.

Will we see Bubba, Hunter, Rickie, Dustin, Webb, or Keegan jumping on private jets and hopping across the ocean to hit golf balls in more European Tour events?

I am not much of a betting man, but I would definitely bet on that.

They tell me that Euros spend just as well as U.S. dollars.