“It’s a formalising of the pathway” - Rory McIlroy shares reaction to DP World Tour losing players to PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy has come to the DP World Tour's defense as it is finalizing a path for its best players to eventually receive membership on the PGA Tour. The league is not technically a feeder, but this move has come under fire for making it such.

Despite the fact that the top 10 players will get membership on the PGA Tour, McIlroy doesn't feel like its a bad thing. He believes the Tour is the pinnacle of professional golf, and there's no reason why other leagues shouldn't get their players to that mountaintop.

According to Bunkered, the Irishman said:

“It’s a formalising of the pathway that’s always sort of been there. I got into the top 50 in the world at the end of 2008, and in 2009, I was going to start in the Middle East and then I was going to the States and play the Match Play, the Honda, the whatever else. It’s always been there. It’s just a bit more official."

From the World No. 2's perspective, the DP World Tour has always sent talent to the PGA Tour. This new method just makes it official and allows for a smoother transition.

He continued, saying that the World Tour's professed mission means that it should get players to the PGA Tour:

“But at the same time, you know, the reason that the European Tour started with as to give professional golfers opportunities to play golf tournaments and earn a living. So if you look at what the mission statement is for the DP World Tour, it’s to give professional golfers opportunities to play their sport, make a living, and there’s no better place to have opportunity and to make a living than what’s going on on the PGA Tour."

He doesn't see the other side of the argument. He doesn't believe that it's a negative that the DP World Tour is losing talent because many golfers aim for the PGA Tour. This now formalizes their route to doing so.

McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and several others have spent time on the DP World Tour before making it to higher leagues.

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Eddie Pepperell disagrees with Rory McIlroy

Despite Rory McIlroy's support, the DP World Tour's decisions have not come without scrutiny and criticism. English golfer Eddie Pepperel is one of the biggest detractors.

Eddie Pepperell disagrees with Rory McIlroy

He said that this makes no sense as a business model:

“I can’t think of any good business that tries to not retain its ‘clients’. Just give the best ones away. That makes no sense to me.”

He even went so far as to say that this could be a disaster for the Tour. Adrian Meronk, Ryan Fox, Victor Perez and others mark the best of the best for DP World. With the new system, they're likely gone for America and the PGA pretty soon. That certainly changes the talent level of the DP World Tour.

DP is also, conversely, offering membership for those who slip out of the PGA Tour.