Sepp Straka will be allowed to maintain his DP World Tour card for next year despite not fulfilling his membership requirements following his withdrawal from the final two events of the season.
Straka said in a statement Friday that he will miss the upcoming Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship to help care for his newborn son, who has been in the intensive-care unit for the past few months and will be transferred home soon.
Those absences meant Straka will not be able to meet the minimum tournaments obligation for the season (four), but in the wake of Straka’s “serious personal circumstances,” DP World Tour chief Guy Kinnings lowered Straka’s requirement to two.
Earlier this fall, Straka missed an event in the FedExCup playoffs as well as the BMW PGA Championship to be with his family but returned at the Ryder Cup, where he went 1-2 for the victorious European side.
Straka was 149th in the season-long Race to Dubai standings and in danger of losing his card before the announcement.
“I need to be in Alabama to support Paige, ensuring we give Thomas the best start possible as he transitions from NICU to home,” Straka said. “Thank you for the thoughtful messages and ongoing support we have received over the past few months.”