Donald questions PGA vote delay

World No 1 Luke Donald reacted with puzzlement at the decision to delay voting for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.
World No 1 Luke Donald reacted with puzzlement at the decision to delay voting for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.
While tour players had been expecting to receive ballot papers this week, the voting process has now been pushed back to allow the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai to be completed first.
For Donald, who just triumphed at the Disney event in Florida on Sunday, capturing the title with a stunning back nine performance that also saw him do the job he set out to do – win the PGA tour money list – the decision appears to be a little suspect.
“Why suddenly change the rule the day after Disney? It doesn’t make much sense to me,” Donald told the Golf Channel in the US.
Apparently officials were alerted to the fact that the Shanghai event partially counts on the Tour, and so the decision was made to delay the voting process.
Donald’s wife is expecting their second child and he will more than likely not be able to appear in at the event, starting November 4th.
The likes of Nick Watney, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley will have a chance to capture a third PGA Tour victory, however, perhaps swinging the vote in their favour in the process as no player this year has achieved that number of wins.
“I think the decision to add HSBC is a little sketchy,” Donald added.
“I feel like even if I went to Shanghai and won, they’d find another event to add.
“To be honest everything needs to be simplified a little bit for the PGA Tour. There doesn’t seem to be a beginning or an end.
“You finish the FedEx Cup and you think the season is over, then you have the Fall Series and you think that after Disney it’s over. And now they are adding another event.”
In response, Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour’s executive vice president of communication and international affairs, again spoke to Golf Channel, defending the decision.
“If this change wasn’t made you could have had members voting on incomplete information if they voted before HSBC,” Votaw said. “It came down to a question of fairness.
“Nothing whatsoever about this decision takes away the merits of Luke’s exemplary performance this year in voter’s minds. But this isn’t about Luke Donald. We would have made the decision if Webb Simpson would have won on Sunday.”
Votaw said the change mas made after a member of the media enquired as to whether the Shanghai tournament was still an official Tour victory, and though it does not count towards the official money list, it is still considered an official win in every other sense.
Latest
-
PGA Tour
JT Poston completes wire-to-wire victory at John Deere Classic
England’s Callum Tarren bogeyed two of his last four holes en route to a one-under 70 as he was forced to settle for equal-sixth place.
-
European Tour
Adrian Meronk makes history for Poland as David Law celebrates Open berth
Meronk’s flying finish made him his country’s first winner on the DP World Tour.
-
News
Paul Casey becomes latest player to join LIV Golf series
He opted out of the inaugural Saudi International on the European Tour in 2019 citing concerns over the country’s human rights record.
-
European Tour
Adrian Meronk has the edge as he aims to make Tour history for Poland
A third round of 68 at Mount Juliet means a one-shot advantage on a crowded leaderboard.
-
European Tour
Shane Lowry birdies last four holes to make Irish Open cut
Jorge Campillo tops the leaderboard at the midway point.
-
European Tour
Keith Pelley hits back at 16 players threatening DP World Tour with legal action
Pelley says the sanctions against players who competed in the first LIV Golf event are ‘proportionate’ and ‘fair’.
-
PGA Tour
JT Poston takes two-shot lead at John Deere Classic
The 29-year-old also became the first player on record to open consecutive Tour events with 62 or better.
-
European Tour
Ryan Fox surprised to be leading after opening round of Horizon Irish Open
The New Zealander carded a flawless 64 to set the pace at Mount Juliet.
-
News
Defiant Lee Westwood does not believe playing in LIV should harm Ryder Cup hopes
Westwood doesn’t agree with penalties and sanctions.
-
News
Shane Lowry welcomes closer ties between Tours in response to threat from LIV
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced the next phase of their strategic alliance.