PGA's decision to stop entry via tour school is unfair: Atwal

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Oct 10 2013 | 5:46 PM IST
Going through a career-slump, injury-ravaged golfer Arjun Atwal feels PGA tour's decision to discontinue players' qualification through tour school is "unfair" and said the move will only "cut off" international players from the prestigious tour.
"I played about eight tournaments at PGA tour and Web.Com. I am planning to go back to the tour school but they have got rid of the tour school for PGA tour. So the tour school is just the Web.Com. I gonna do that but I don't find it fair on their part to do away with it because it basically cuts off a lot of international player who want to get a card," said Atwal.
"I had a discussion with the committee. They could not give me a satisfactory answer. I had put myself as a 27 year old when I came to qualify for the PGA tour and I won their money list.
"I would not have come for the web.Com. Tour because I would be playing for more money and more ranking points in the Asian tour and I was also playing in the European tour. So what they have done is to shut off the PGA tour from the world. But I still want to play in the PGA tour. But if I have to play in the web.Com for that then be it.
"I think less people will go for the PGA tour. Guys who are well established in the Asia, Japan or Europe or any other tour, why would they waste their one year. I don't see any benefit in playing in web.Com for one year, unless you are a young guy," he added.
From 2013, the Qualifying School will no longer send the players into the PGA Tour. They will only qualify for the Web.Com Tour and from there they will have to finish in top-25 to make the PGA Tour, making it a two-year affair to reach the PGA.
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First Published: Oct 10 2013 | 5:46 PM IST

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