The field of 60 at next week's European Tour finale has already been reduced to 57.
Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Charl Schwartzel will be skipping the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai as a protest of a new European Tour rule instituted for 2013. The field for the Dubai event is comprised solely of the top 60 players in the Race to Dubai standings after the conclusion of this week's Turkish Airlines Open. However, in order for any of the 60 players to compete, by rule, they must play in two of the three preceding events: BMW Masters, WGC-HSBC Champions or Turkish Airlines Open.
Els railed about the rule to Reuters during the WGC-HSBC Champions, saying in part, "Why would they make a decision like that and expect guys to play? It’s farcical. In my view it’s an absolute joke.”
The Telegraph reports Garcia and Schwartzel will join Els in boycotting the DP World Tour Championship.
Garcia (10th in the Race to Dubai standings), Els (14th) and Schwartzel (23rd) would all easily qualify for the $8 million event, with $1.41 million to the winner. A good showing in the tournament would land any of the three in the top 10 in the final Race to Dubai standings, which would earn them a share of of the $3.75 million bonus pool, with $1 million to the season-long winner.
2013 Race to Dubai Bonus Pool Payout
1. $1,000,000
2. $650,000
3. $500,000
4. $375,000
5. $325,000
6. $275,000
7. $225,000
8. $175,000
9. $125,000
10. $100,000
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