Veteran golfer Richard Bland showed no signs of slowing down his criticism of the DP World Tour during a press conference this week, taking aim at both the tour's partnership with the PGA Tour as well as the changes to Ryder Cup qualifying.

In what was perhaps his strongest rebuke to date, Bland called getting into bed with the PGA Tour "completely the wrong idea" and said anyone who knows the game is aware the DP World Tour made a mistake by not partnering with Saudi investors years ago. According to Bland, the PGA Tour has never cared about the European circuit and the agreement to give top-10 players on the Race to Dubai exemption to play PGA Tour events was simply a way for Jay Monahan to get more global talent competing stateside.

“I think getting into bed with the Americans was completely the wrong idea,” Bland said. “Does anyone honestly think [PGA Tour commissioner] Jay Monahan cares about the DP World Tour? No, he doesn’t. For him that ’10 player’ deal was all about how he could get the best DP World Tour players competing on the PGA Tour. They [the PGA Tour] don’t care about the DP World Tour. They never have.”

Richard Bland on the 7th hole during day two of LIV Golf - Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama on July 1, 2023. Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images

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Bland also took issue with DP World Tour stars like Ryan Fox being left off international teams like the Presidents Cup due to not holding PGA Tour membership. "When you get someone like Foxy who was second on the DP World Tour two years ago, and he can't play. I mean, really?" said Bland. "It seems like it's just a PGA Tour event. And the Ryder Cup is now just a PGA Tour event. It doesn’t say much for the guys that are up-and-coming in the game. You’ve only got to look at the World Rankings, how many guys from the DP World Tour are in the top 100 in the world? Maybe two? So yeah, I think this is a sad day for the DP World Tour, if I’m being honest.”

As for Ryder Cup changes, Bland called emphasizing majors and elite PGA Tour events "another nail in the coffin" for full-time DP World Tour members trying to make European squads. He questioned how many players outside the top 100 in the world rankings even play primarily in Europe anymore.

“It's sad,” Bland said. “I understand that the strength plays in America, but this just basically says that no one playing full time DP World can play in the Ryder Cup. You can't make it. Obviously, the World Rankings have gone that way and now the Ryder Cup has gone that way.”

In elegant yet fiercely uncompromising fashion, the 51-year-old Bland pulled no punches in highlighting what he sees as mistakes that have weakened the DP World Tour and how changes to the Ryder Cup model further promote PGA Tour supremacy. It's clear the LIV Golfer still has no issue speaking truth to power when it comes to tours' strategic decisions.

New Ryder Cup Qualifying Process for Europe

The European Ryder Cup team has announced significant changes to its qualification process for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black. The key aspects of the new system are:

Single Points List

• There will be a new, single points list that determines the six automatic qualifiers, replacing the previous World Points List and European Points List.

• The single list will be weighted more heavily towards performances in major championships, PGA Tour signature events, Players Championship, FedExCup playoffs, and DP World Tour Rolex Series events.

Points Distribution

• Major championships: 5,000 points

• 2025 PGA Tour signature events/Players/FedExCup playoffs: 3,000 points

• DP World Tour Rolex Series events: 2,000 points

• 2025 PGA Tour regular FedExCup events: 2,000 points

• DP World Tour 'Back 9' events: 1,500 points

• DP World Tour 'Global Series' events: 1,000 points

• 2025 PGA Tour opposite-field events: 1,000 points

Qualifying Period

• The qualifying period begins on August 29, 2024 at the Betfred British Masters and runs through August 24, 2025.

• In 2024, points can only be earned at DP World Tour events. PGA Tour events will count from January 1, 2025 through August 17, 2025.

Captain's Picks

• European captain Luke Donald will still have six captain's picks to complete the 12-man team.

DP World Tour Membership Requirement

• Players must remain members of the DP World Tour in order to be eligible for the European team.

• This means LIV Golf players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will need to play four regular DP World Tour events this season to retain membership.

The new qualification system aims to be "much cleaner and simpler" than previous versions, according to DP World Tour chief Guy Kinnings. It heavily favors performances in the majors and top PGA Tour and DP World Tour events, while excluding LIV Golf tournaments entirely.