Paul McGinley has revealed he is 'hurt' by the criticism directed at the DP World Tour, since forming a strategic alliance with the PGA Tour. The alliance was further strengthened earlier this year, with more events co-sanctioned and prize money increased.
The alliance however has received backlash, with some seeing the move as a way of the PGA Tour strengthening their defence against the threat of LIV Golf, whilst the DP World Tour receive the raw end of the deal. McGinley however is fed up of these accusations.
As a result, the former European Ryder Cup captain and Tour board member has hit back at the critics and believes the strength and power of the PGA Tour is a given due to the size of the American market in the sport.
He told The Times : "The comparison back to the good old days of Seve [Ballesteros] and [Bernhard] Langer is very unfair because the dynamics of golf have changed and the European market is totally dwarfed by the American market.
"Playing schedules have changed and we are working with cards that have been played with us. There are some very clever business people on that board - I don’t mean me - and to be dismissed so easily as making stupid decisions is disrespectful.
"It’s not deserving and it hurts.” McGinley himself also defended the move when it was first announced back in June, tweeting: "A lot of factors went into this decision with many dynamics at play, not just LIV, the need for a new linked eco system has been coming and is a natural evolution in todays golfing landscape."
Despite the criticism, Europe - and the world's - No. 1 player Rory McIlroy is in support of the alliance, and believes the DP World Tour will begin to see the benefits in 2024. He said: "I think that's [2024] when you're going to start to see the benefits of this partnership.
"There's a lot of moving parts to this. I think by giving everyone 15 months to get their head around it and put their heads together and come up with what I think is going to be an unbelievable calendar for golf in 2024, I think that's a great thing."
