Dubai: This week sees the first golf major of 2023, The Masters at Augusta.

The DP World Tour, PGA Tour, Asian Tour, LIV Golf Tour and other Tours around the world all leave space on their calendars for this one. The only other Tours attracting OWGR points this week alongside The Masters are Little Venice Red Sea Open on the Progolf Tour, the Novil Cup on the Abema TV Tour and the Tata Steel PGTI in India.

Many of the leading players seem to have shown some good form coming into this week.

World Number One and defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler (US), Rory McIlroy (NI) and Jon Rahm (Spain) all starting strongly this year in what seems to be a ‘Big Three’ all chasing the World’s Number One spot.

Golf gathering

It is the first global golf industry gathering of the year, and will carry, FedEx Cup Points, Race to Dubai Points, Asian Tour Points, OWGR Points as well as Ryder Cup Points, wherever appropriate.

It is also an occasion where there will be review conversations over the OWGR statistics as is the case at the Majors and other important times of the year.

Perhaps it is time to review these again, what has worked and perhaps what has not especially worked? The theory and practice of any new or revised system takes time to find its level, rather than any rush knee jerk reaction that requires further amendment.

A notable omission in the field is the current number two on the 2022 – 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings on the DP World Tour, Victor Perez (Fr). Winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Rolex Series event held at Yas Links Abu Dhabi earlier in the year misses out as he stands 62nd in the OWGR, with only the top 50 in that category being invited.

Others on the outside looking in this week and not competing are: Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Webb Simpson, Joel Dahmen, Matt Wallace who’s win on the PGA Tour last week did not get him into the Augusta field, Rickie Fowler, Padraig Harrington, Jimmy Walker, Charley Hoffman, Aaron Rai, Thomas Detry, Nicolai Hojgaard and Christiaan Bezuidenhout amongst other traditional regulars.

Dubai based Adrian Meronk (Pol), 29 years-old, has a real opportunity to enhance his already strong CV in world golf and become a regular top 50 player and be able to choose his own schedule, as he continues his rise in the Rankings, currently standing in 59th, having been higher in the Rankings at the invite cut-off date.

Top 10 finish

Meronk will now play in all four Majors in 2023 for the first time in his career – a real opportunity to make a difference, with his eyes already set on a top 10 finish in the season long Race to Dubai Rankings following his eighth place finish in 2022.

The top 10 in the Race to Dubai Rankings at the end of the season, who are not already eligible, will gain their PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season. Meronk sits in eighth place again in the 2022 – 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings

The other riches for a strong 2023 can also include a Ryder Cup appearance for Meronk and others in the mix.

Majors

Thursday 6th – Sunday 9th April, 2023

The Masters

Venue: Augusta, Georgia, US

Purse: $15 million