Sepp Straka WDs from DP World Tour playoffs, retains card despite not meeting requirement

Sepp Straka has pulled out of the DP World Tour’s upcoming Playoff events, citing personal reasons. The Austrian star will thus fall short of completing the minimum event requirements to retain his card. However, the European Tour has allowed him to keep his membership due to serious personal reasons.

Straka is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour but hasn’t won any event on the European Tour. The Austrian golfer was set to compete in the DP World Tour Playoffs before he withdrew on Friday, October 31.

"Paige and I are pleased to share that we are preparing for our son, Thomas, to return home in the coming weeks after spending his initial two months of life in intensive care," he wrote in the official statement to DP World Tour. "We are immensely grateful to the dedicated medical teams who have cared for him and helped him grow stronger following his early arrival in August.

“Consequently, I will be withdrawing from both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship to focus on my family during this important time. I need to be in Alabama to support Paige, ensuring we give Thomas the best start possible as he transitions from NICU to home.

The withdrawal could affect Straka's DP World Tour membership since he was unable to complete his minimum Counting Tournament obligation for the 2025 season. However, DP World Tour Chief Executive Guy Kinnings announced that they were granting relief to the four-time PGA Tour champion due to serious personal issues.

"We would like to take this opportunity to continue to offer our full support and best wishes to Sepp and his family," the DP World Tour said in official statement.

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Sepp Straka confirms Austrian Alpine Open 2026 participation

Last month, the Austrian Alpine Open confirmed that local star Sepp Straka will be in the field for next year’s edition. For the uninitiated, this will be the golfer’s first-ever appearance in his home event.

Sepp Straka had a memorable 2025 where he clinched two titles on the PGA Tour and broke into the top 10 in the OWGR. The 32-year-old golfer played 22 events this season and missed just four cuts. Besides, he racked up six top-10s and clinched the American Express and the Truist Championship.

Here's a look at Sepp Straka's performance in 2025:

• The Sentry: T15
• Sony Open in Hawaii: T30
• The American Express: 1
• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: T7
• WM Phoenix Open: 15
• The Genesis Invitational: CUT
• Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches: T11
• Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard: T5
• The Players Championship: T14
• Valspar Championship: T28
• Masters Tournament: CUT
• RBC Heritage: T13
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: T12
• Truist Championship: 1
• PGA Championship: CUT
• The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday: 3
• U.S. Open: CUT
• Travelers Championship: T45
• Genesis Scottish Open: 7
• The Open Championship: T52
• FedEx St. Jude Championship: T17
• TOUR Championship: 30