Austria’s Sepp Straka has informed the DP World Tour of his withdrawal from the forthcoming two DP World Tour Play-Off events due to personal reasons.
Straka said: “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. 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.
“Thank you for the thoughtful messages and ongoing support we have received over the past few months. I would like to extend my best wishes to all participants in the upcoming DP World Tour Play-Off events and look forward to being back out there soon.”
Straka’s withdrawal from both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship means he is unable to fulfil his minimum Counting Tournament obligation on the DP World Tour for the 2025 season as he had intended.
However, in recognition of his serious personal circumstances since August, which have understandably impacted his ability to travel and compete globally across the Back 9 and Play-Offs, as permitted in the Members Regulation Handbook, DP World Tour Chief Executive Guy Kinnings has amended Sepp’s minimum Counting Tournament obligation from four events to two.
He will therefore remain eligible for membership for the 2026 season. We would like to take this opportunity to continue to offer our full support and best wishes to Sepp and his family.
