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DUBAI - The Dubai World Championship, the world's richest golf tournament worth US$10 ($13.37) million in prize money, was not designed to attract world No 1 Tiger Woods to the European Tour, chief executive George O'Grady said.
The European Tour announced plans today for a season-ending tournament in Dubai from 2009. Offering US$1.66 million for the winner, the first Dubai World Championship will take place from November 19-22 as a climax to the season.
"This isn't to get the best players in the world, it's for players who make commitments to the European Tour," O'Grady said.
"If Tiger Woods says he wants to join (the European Tour) and promises to play a minimum of 11 events and pay his US$500 joining fee, then he would qualify.
"But he has his schedule mapped out well in advance. Anyway, it's a bit big-headed for the European Tour to start talking about what to do with Tiger Woods.
O'Grady said, however, that Woods' management company had in the past inquired about European Tour membership but had taken the matter no further.
The tournament will be for the top 60 players on a season-long order of merit to be called the Race to Dubai and unless Woods agrees to play the minimum mandatory 11 European Tour events, he will not qualify for the season finale.
- REUTERS
