Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Not really!
Discounting majors and WGCs, McIlroy has played in 6 PGA events compared to 3 ET events and isn't set to return to the Europe for the rest of the year (except for the somewhat anomalous Turkish open).
Again for Westwood, 10 PGA events compared to 2 ET events.
It just goes to show that during the regular season (i.e. outside of the 'European' Tour events in Asia), ET is a second string tour compared to the PGA for guys who have made it.
It's a fair point I suppose but take away 4 majors and 4 WGC's the top players don't need to play that much more to fill a full playing schedule particularly when PGA tour players are playing the Fedex playoffs too.
Westwood has played 8 events outwith Majors and WGC in the US in comparison to last year where he played 2, however look at his ET events last season, as at this point he has only played 3 less than last year. He'll probably play another 3 or 4 ET events this year to play in the Dubai tour championships.
I'd surprised if McIlroy isn't something similar. In fact is McIlroy not playing the Dunhill Links? He normally does with his old man.