4 days ago
Golf's parallel DP World & PGA Tour events overshadowed by The Open last week
The parallel events against The Open on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour did not get much attention last week – with the last major on the men's professional golf calendar each year, as usual, grabbing all the headlines.
Let's firstly look at the Barracuda Championship, the $4 million event held at Tahoe Mt Club, Truckee, California, US, held on the same dates as The Open.
It is a co-sanctioned event aligned between the tours to also elevate the Genesis Scottish Open, held the week before at The Renaissance Club.
The Barracuda Championship was won by Ryan Gerard (US) with 47 points.
The event adopted a Modified Stableford format designed to reward aggressive play, with the following point system: Albatross – 8 points, Eagle – 5 points, Birdie – 2 points, Par – 0, Bogey – minus 1, and Double Bogey or worse – minus 3.
Missed Opportunity
It's also worth reflecting that, in today's increasingly global game, it remains a missed opportunity that only one of the men's Major championships is played outside the United States.
There have been historical rumours linking the US PGA Championship being taken around the world – outside of the US – but there seems to be no recent talk or noise on this matter.
Playing opportunities for both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour are part of the mantra of today's tours, at whatever level.
The previous week, the ISCO championship played alongside the Genesis Scottish Open was won by 24-year-old William Mouw (US) with a 10 under par score, with rounds of 67, 73, 69 and 61.
Other notables in contention included. Paul Peterson (US) is one back and Manuel Elvira (Spain), a further two shots back.
Success for JC Ritchie
On the HotelPlanner Tour, JC Ritchie won the German Challenge powered by VcG at Wittelsbacher Golfclub.
The South African, who is now a five-time HotelPlanner Tour winner, signed for a six under par round of 66 on the final day, building on a five-shot overnight lead to cruise to an eight-shot win on 24 under par, with Englishmen Joshua Berry and Tom Lewis sharing second.
Ritchie climbs four places to second on the 2025 Road to Mallorca Rankings with the win and looks certain to return to the DP World Tour after losing his playing privileges in 2023. Joshua Berry (Eng) leads the Rankings, with Maximilian Steinlechner (Aut) in third with Renato Paratore (It) in fourth, following his two HotelPlanner Tour victories in the UAE earlier in the season. The top 20 players at the end of the season all get promoted to the 2026 DP World Tour.
The Road to Mallorca takes a one-week break before returning from July 31st - August 3rd for the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.
