The DP World Tour is entering a significant new phase as professional golf undergoes major structural changes following LIV Golf’s bankruptcy filing. The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Asian Tour are moving toward closer cooperation, while questions remain over how players who previously joined LIV Golf could return to the traditional tours.
The developments could have a major impact on player pathways, qualifying opportunities and the international golf schedule in the years ahead.
DP World Tour Strengthens Links With Asian Tour
One of the biggest developments involving the DP World Tour is its new three-way agreement with the PGA Tour and Asian Tour.
The agreement followed discussions at Royal Birkdale during The Open Championship. The Asian Tour had previously been connected to LIV Golf through a reported $300 million arrangement, but the circuit has since realigned with the traditional tours after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew its funding.
Under the new arrangement, the Asian Tour Order of Merit winner will earn a DP World Tour card, while other leading players will have opportunities to access the secondary HotelPlanner Tour.
This creates another pathway between the Asian and European-based tours and could give leading Asian Tour players greater access to DP World Tour competition.
2027 DP World Tour Schedule Includes Major Co-Sanctioned Events
The DP World Tour’s 2027 schedule is also set to feature several co-sanctioned tournaments involving the Asian Tour.
Among the events mentioned are the Hong Kong Open, Deutsche Bank Singapore Open and Australian Open. These tournaments highlight the continued importance of international events within the DP World Tour’s schedule.
The Australian Open is particularly significant in the context of recent competition between established tours and LIV Golf. DP World Tour Chief Tournament and Operations Officer Ben Cowen said the tour had worked extensively with partners to maintain events and venues within its ecosystem.
PGA Tour and DP World Tour Continue Negotiations
While the partnership between the tours is developing, some important details remain unresolved.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour are discussing the number of qualifying cards that could be allocated between the European-based circuit and the proposed Championship Series. Under the current system, the top 10 players in the Race to Dubai earn PGA Tour status, although that allocation is still under review.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said discussions with the DP World Tour remain active and described the conversations as productive, while acknowledging that the organizations still have issues to work through.
New PGA Tour Structure Could Change Player Pathways
The PGA Tour is planning a revamped structure for 2028 that would feature Championship and Challenger tiers using a promotion-and-relegation model.
According to the source, players who previously left for LIV Golf will not receive an automatic route back to the PGA Tour. Rolapp said returning players would need to follow the tour’s established membership and competitive requirements.
The changes could therefore make qualifying pathways increasingly important for players competing on the DP World Tour and other international circuits.
Rory McIlroy Raises Questions About Challenger Series
Rory McIlroy has also commented on the proposed structure and the relationship between the DP World Tour and the new Challenger tier.
McIlroy questioned whether moving from the DP World Tour to the Challenger Series would represent meaningful career progression for European-based players. He also noted that determining an appropriate number of cards for movement into the Championship Series remains an important issue.
His comments underline the ongoing discussion over how the different levels of professional golf will connect once the new structure takes shape.
LIV Golf Fallout Continues to Affect Professional Golf
The restructuring comes after LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving several high-profile players facing uncertainty over their professional futures.
Major championship winners including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith are among the players mentioned in connection with the changing landscape. Rahm said he could not provide a definitive timeline for what comes next.
For the DP World Tour, the developments provide an opportunity to reinforce its role within the traditional professional golf structure while expanding connections across Asia and the PGA Tour.
What Comes Next for the DP World Tour?
The next stage will depend on how the PGA Tour and DP World Tour finalize their qualifying arrangements and how the new 2028 structure is implemented.
For now, the DP World Tour is maintaining its membership framework and global tournament schedule while working with the PGA Tour and Asian Tour on a closer international system.
With major events returning to a broader traditional-tour network and new pathways being discussed, the DP World Tour is set to remain an important part of professional golf’s evolving global structure.
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