Dubai-based star Rafa Cabrera Bello fails to secure PGA playing rights
Spaniard will continue on the European Tour
Fans of the European Tour are set to see a lot more of Dubai-based star Rafa Cabrera Bello next season after he failed to retain his PGA Tour playing privileges at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
The-37-year-old had one final chance to impress at Victoria National Golf Club and hang on to the card he earned in 2016, but only managed to finish in a share of 20th, which left him in 45th on the Korn Ferry Tour Finals ranking.
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With only the top 25 players on the ranking securing full PGA Tour membership for next season, Cabrera Bello now has to go back to the drawing board and assess where he will play the majority of his golf in 2022.
There’s no doubt he will receive some sponsor invitations to PGA Tour events next year, but his low ranking on both the FedEx Cup Standings and Korn Ferry Tour Finals means the Spaniard is not even guaranteed a full-seed spot on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season.
It’s been a difficult year for the 2016 Ryder Cup rookie, who has missed the cut in 11 of 24 events played in 2021 while only managing to muster one top ten finish all season at the European Tour’s season-opening Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
His best bet for now looks to be heading back to the European Tour for a full season and getting to grips with his game once again.
Currently ranked 63rd in the Race to Dubai, the three-time European Tour winner is in no danger of losing his playing privileges with the top 125 all retaining full membership for the following year.
He’ll get the chance to improve that ranking this week when he makes just his fifth European Tour start of the season — barring the Majors and WGC events — at the BMW PGA Championship, a Rolex Series event.