Following a meeting of The European Tour’s Tournament Committee at Oceánico Victoria Golf Club in Portugal, Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady confirmed changes to the General Membership Regulations.
From the commencement of The 2011 European Tour International Schedule, the tournament requirement to fulfil Membership of the Tour will be increased by one event to 13.
Additionally, the Volvo World Match Play Championship, which in 2011 will be played at Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa in Spain from May 19-22, will be deemed to be one of the 13 counting events.
Meanwhile the Tour Membership has requested, through the Tournament Committee, that a Pro-Am should take place over the West Course at Wentworth Club as a celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of the birth of The European Tour (in 1971) and the 20th anniversary of Seve Ballesteros’s last successes in both the PGA Championship and the World Match Play events at that iconic venue.
It has been agreed that the Seve Ballesteros Invitational Pro-Am, with a limited field of 18 professionals, will be hosted by Wentworth Club on Monday, May 23, 2011 – the start of the week of the BMW PGA Championship.
All proceeds from the Pro-Am will be donated to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation’s activities on behalf of Cancer Research UK, which benefits cancer research throughout the world.
Finally, the Tournament Committee considered the position of gambling as it affects The European Tour. Following recent discussions with the Gambling Regulatory Authorities, the Tournament Committee instructed the Tour’s Executive to draw up firm guidelines and regulations related to any form of gambling on The European Tour.
