Dan Bradbury hopes the DP World Tour will honour those players that stayed loyal to it amid the flood of golfers backtracking from LIV, as he himself plots his own route away from the circuit where he has made his name the last four years.

But where a huge swathe of golfers were guilty of deserting the DP World Tour four years ago and are now queueing up to return with their tails between their legs, the only exit route Bradbury wants to take is via a promotion.

For the 27-year-old from Wakefield went into the final two weeks of the season in the Middle East firmly in the hunt for one of the 10 tickets to the PGA Tour available to the leading players on the Race to Dubai rankings not already exempt.

Whether he earns one or not via a strong performance in Abu Dhabi this week or Dubai next, Bradbury is content with his lot.

Out of the rough: Dan Bradbury found the only whispy stuff in the desert on Thursday during his first round at the Abu Dhabi Aldir Championship. (Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Out of the rough: Dan Bradbury found the only whispy stuff in the desert on Thursday during his first round at the Abu Dhabi Aldir Championship. (Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images)

The thought of playing in America where he went to university for five years, excites him a lot. But if not, the DP World Tour - with bigger names coming back - is a not-too distant second best.

“For all I talk about coming to play well, it is pretty much the only thing that’s left on the table for me now,” said Bradbury, who came into this week 19th on the rankings, with 14th spot currently the target to snag a ticket to the PGA Tour.

“I’ve already qualified for Dubai which is great, some lads are here this week playing to get into next week, so I‘ve not got that pressure.

“PGA Tour is only a bonus. We’re still very lucky playing on the DP World Tour and we play a great schedule, we play great events.

Season highlight: Dan Bradbury of England kisses the trophy following victory of the 2026 Joberg Open, his third win in four seasons on the DP World Tour (Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images)

“But the PGA Tour is where you want to be.

“I’ve got nothing to lose at this point. The DP World Tour is still great and if I get a PGA Tour card it would be amazing for my career, but there’s no pressure on it.”

LIV Golf’s emergence in the summer of 2022 shook the sport to its foundations, sparking constant evolution by the existing tours to keep up and retain their star players.

One of the changes was the PGA Tour offering cards to the top 10 on the DP World Tour, something Bradbury’s fellow Yorkshiremen John Parry and Dan Brown took advantage of last season.

Dan Bradbury of Great Britain tees off on the 15th hole during a practice round prior to The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 18, 2023 in Hoylake (Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images)

This could be the last season for it to be as cut and dried as that, with the PGA Tour moving to a two-tier circuit in 2028 with an elite Championship Series and secondary Challenger Series – with the route to it from Europe’s premier circuit yet to be decided.

It means this year might be Bradbury’s best chance to take the leap onto the PGA Tour as everyone knows it.

“This year is probably…not the last chance, but it feels like it’s a lot more significant than it might be next year,” admitted Bradbury.

“Fortunately DP World Tour is in a good place at the minute with everyone wanting to come back here to play, so who knows. I think the DP World Tour will be in a stronger place in a year’s time as well.”

Bradbury’s verdict on LIV

Fields for the 2027 DP World Tour season are set to be swelled by players who have jumped LIV’s sinking ship, most notably European Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm, Tyrell Hatton and Sergio Garcia.

Their return has not gone down well with some players who chose to stay loyal to the DP World Tour, with Eddie Pepperell one of the most outspoken critics of the returning players.

For his part, Bradbury sees it from both sides.

“As long as the tour shows respect to the guys who showed them their loyalty,” he told The Yorkshire Post this week.

“They should be the priority, the guys that didn’t go.

“If the guys that come back can add value to the tour and can make our fields better, make our sponsors happier…

“But there’s so many grey areas. If I say to you this person wants an invite, would they add to this field? You and I might have different opinions on that.

"So it’s going to be very difficult for the tour to get it right and to draw the line in the right place.

“But I think overall we will have better fields next year and we will benefit from it.

“The tour itself will be in a better place but there’s going to be some very disgruntled members that lose out if there’s only 100 cards and we suddenly let loads back.

“It’s going to be a hard one to judge and it’s hard to say right now what the right thing to do is.

“Overall the tour will be in a better place with some household names back, as long as they respect the guys that did have the chance to go but chose not to. Look after your members first, but if you can help your members by making better events, then fine.”

Bradbury gives 2026 verdict

Whether he wins or finishes down the field in Abu Dhabi and Dubai the next two weeks, Bradbury is in line for his best ever finish on the DP World Tour.

Two years ago he came home 30th, but last year he didn’t even qualify for the end-of-season play-offs.

“I missed them last year so it’s nice to be back, that’s for sure,” said Bradbury, whose victory at the Joburg Open in March was the season highlight.

“Sitting at home last year watching the other lads play didn’t feel great, so it’s nice to be back. The play-offs are definitely ones you want to be playing in.

“It’s been a good year, it could have been better, but I feel like I’m in a good place.”

Bradbury added a 71 on Friday to Thursday’s 73 to sit at level par, 12 shots off a three-way tie for the lead that includes Hatton and Rahm.