Newly-crowned Race to Dubai champion Henrik Stenson has given his backing to a European Tour rule that requires members to play at their home tournament or be forced to compete in two extra competitions in order to keep their Tour card.
Pros with European Tour membership currently have to feature in a minimum of 13 events but that will increase to 15 if they do not participate in their national open or equivalent.
Stenson, who yesterday won the DP World Tour Championship to clinch the Tour's cumulative Race to Dubai and cap a memorable year, believes that it is important for players from Europe to support the Tour and their home tournaments even though there are more lucrative events across the Atlantic on the PGA Tour.
"It's obviously the tough thing with playing both in America and Europe that you can't travel however many times back and forth, but given the success I've had I would really want to come and play in front of my home crowds next year," the 37-year-old told PA.
"Whether we need to have the rule or not, that could be debated, but I think to support the European Tour and your home tournaments it's definitely a good thing to do."
Other players, such as four-time Major winner Ernie Els, have criticised the new rule and demands on tournament appearances.
Els failed to compete in two of the first three events in this year's inaugural Final Series to be eligible for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Pascal Lemesre
