European Tour golfers must play 12 events in 2009

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ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) -- Golfers on the European Tour must play 12 tournaments next year instead of 11 to stay a member on the Tour.

The European Tour's Tournament Committee voted Tuesday to make the change in advance of the start of the lucrative new Race To Dubai in 2009.

Two of the tournaments must be played on European soil but one can be the British Open, the committee decided.

The committee, comprised of present and former Tour players and chaired by Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, met for more than two hours at the Royal and Ancient Club in St. Andrews before announcing its decision.

"We just think it is a 13-month season coming up and, because -- over the years -- the season has been extended so much, that it was reasonable to put it up by one," Bjorn said.

There had been some opposition to increasing the figure in case it deterred PGA TOUR players, but Bjorn said the small increase shouldn't hinder TOUR players from joining the European Tour.

"No, we don't think so," Bjorn said. "We just think that with the number of tournaments on our schedule now that it was time to put it up by one.

"It is not a big ask to play 12 events, especially when a lot of the guys in question play four majors and three World Golf Championships events. It was never a big ask. It was just time to change."

Bjorn said there had been no proposals to increase the number to 13 or 14.

"No, 12 was always the preferred number. But we will keep it under review," Bjorn said.

British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington said he felt the number should remain at 11 to encourage American players to join the European Tour.

"I think it would strengthen our tour if they came," he said. "If we could attract players like Phil (Mickelson) and Vijay (Singh), it is basically a bigger pot for everybody.

"We have attracted the best players from South Africa, Australia and Asia, but we have never had an inflow from the U.S."

Robert Allenby has already rejoined the European Tour, and former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, another Australian, has expressed an interest in doing so.