David Law hails PGA Tour route for DP World Tour players as 'great news'

David Law gave a thumbs up to the DP World Tour’s strengthened alliance with the PGA Tour after spearheading a decent day for Scottish golfers in the Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet.

As part of a 13-year joint-venture partnership announced earlier this week, DP World Tour players will be able to secure a PGA Tour card.

Starting in 2023, the leading ten players on the DP World Tour Rankings – in addition to those already exempt – will earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.

If that had been in place last year, Scottish duo Bob MacIntyre and Calum Hill would have held full status for the US circuit this season.

David Law tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet in Thomastown. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

“I think it's great news,” said Law of the two circuits beefing up their partnership in the face of LIV Golf trying to change the face of the game at the top level.

“I think the tour has done a fantastic job with the deal. From speaking to a lot of the players, we are all very excited for what the future holds. I think it's really positive.”

As was Law’s start at Mount Juliet, where he carded a five-under-par 67 to sit just three shots off the lead, held by in-form Kiwi Ryan Rox.

“It’s a good score,” said Law, who made four birdies going out and added two more before dropping his only shot of the day at the par-4 18th. “ The course is set up tough. The rough is pretty thick, so I'm happy with that.”

The Aberdonian, who is currently on the reserve list for next week’s Genesis Scottish Open, sat out the BMW International Open in Munich last week.

“I hurt my hip on the Thursday of the Scandinavian Mixed,” he said. “To be honest, I thought it was just a niggle and it turned out to be a little bit more than that.

“So I didn't hit balls for two weeks. I hit balls on Sunday before I travelled. I hit a few 9-irons, felt okay, and came out here on Monday and did a little bit of practice.

“But, to be honest, I've been taking it pretty easy. It's one of those I came into the week with no expectations and managed my body as well as I can and so far, so good.”

In an event offering three spots in the 150th Open, Qatar Masters winner Ewen Ferguson matched Law’s score with an afternoon effort that also contained six birdies and one bogey.

Bob MacIntyre, who is exempt for the season’s final major at St Andrews, made five birdies in his 68, one better than both Marc Warren and Richie Ramsay.

Fox, who won the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February and has twice finished second as well as third in recent weeks, opened with a bogey-free effort to lead by a shot from Frenchman Frederic Lacroix, Spaniard Jorge Campillo, German Marcel Schneider and Fabrizio Zanotti from Paraguay.

After paying his £100,000 fine for playing in the inaugural LIV Golf event at Centurion Club without securing a release from the DP World Tour, Spaniard Pablo Larazzabal shot a 66 to sit alongside 2020 Scottish Open winner Aaron Rai.

Seamus Power and Niall Kearney fared best of the Irish contingent with matching 68s on a day when major winners Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry shot 70 and 71 respectively.