Fife's huge role in newly rebranded DP World Tour

A major announcement was made in the earlier part of this week, confirming that the next campaign will see the European Tour become the DP World Tour.

The new look tour will see total prize money break through the $200 million mark for the first time, with a new minimum prize fund of $2 million for all tournaments solely sanctioned by the DP World Tour.

A minimum of 47 tournaments in 27 different countries will be held, including new tournaments in the UAE, Japan, South Africa and Belgium and an expanded Rolex Series comprising five events: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Locally, it was already shaping up to be a memorable year anyway with the 150th Open Championship set for St Andrews.

The Open is now one of four in Scotland to be played on the DP World Tour next season, only the USA, with six events, features more than Scotland on the schedule.

And of those four, three will be held in this part of the country.

Following on from the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian from July 7-10, the following week, The 150th Open takes place at St Andrews, before the Hero Open visits Fairmont, St Andrews, from July 28-31.

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will then be played at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie at the end of September.

But before attention can turn to the next campaign, work still needs to be done on this season’s tour.

The final event of the schedule, the AVIV Dubai Championship, teed off in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Hoping to end his season with a flourish is Connor Syme.

The Drumoig 26-year-old went into the event some way off qualification for the season ending championship finals next week.

The top 50 players in the end of season Race to Dubai rankings will compete, with Syme sitting just outside the top 100. Kinross pro Calum Hill is 25th.