The start of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was always going to be dominated by something. Either it was going to be the fading sounds of trumpets blowing after success by Europe in the Ryder Cup, or it would have been the unofficial end of the season in the United States, or the weather, or the experience of returning to St Andrews, as important a rite for golfers as going to the Vatican is for Roman Catholics.

In fact, although the wind did rise yesterday and bring with it a hint of heavy rain in the days to come, it was the speculation concerning next year’s Race to Dubai — the rebranded Order of Merit — and the effect it will have on players from the US that was the talking point yesterday.

On Tuesday evening, the tournament committee of the European Tour increased the minimum number of events that a golfer must play on its tour from 11 to 12, starting next year. Two of these must be in Europe. It remains to be seen what effect this will have on Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby and Geoff Ogilvy, who are thought to be considering taking up membership of the European Tour next year. Vijay Singh is also said to be pondering whether to compete more on the Tour in 2009, to have a crack at finishing among the top 60 in the Race to Dubai and thus be able to compete in the Dubai World Championship, for which there is a purse of $20 million (about £11.3 million).

Ernie Els, who plays on the US and European tours, was a good man to ask about the possible impact. Indeed, to demonstrate how he keeps a foot in each camp, the South African had flown from Florida, where his main home is, to London on Tuesday to drop off his children, before flying to Scotland with his father to compete in this week’s event. “I’ve always supported both tours,” Els Jr said. “It has been easy. I feel comfortable playing both tours. The European Tour has looked after me. I will keep on supporting it.

“I think to raise it to 12 events is not that much to ask the players to do. You can play both tours. Padraig is doing it now, Justin is doing it. A lot of the young players, too. It is very doable.

“It seems Mickelson has indicated he is going to play a bit more around the world. He’s bought a new plane, so he can put some miles on it. It seems he is willing to do that. Tiger has always been willing to play around the world. Vijay is a foreign player. He lives in the US, but he plays around the world. But will other US players change? I don’t think so.”

It would not require much more of a commitment by Mickelson for him to increase his tournaments from the nine he played this year to the required 12. The four major championships and the three World Golf Championships events make a total of seven. He usually plays the Barclays Scottish Open the week before the Open and he competed in the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai last November and will do so again next month. Thus Mickelson needs to add only three events to his 2008 schedule from a list that includes an enticing series in the Middle East and tournaments in China. The attraction of competing with a friend or sponsor in this pro-am tournament in Scotland might appeal to the world No 2.

“I think that it is attainable for somebody playing a worldwide schedule,” Rose said. “If you are trying to look at maybe enticing some players who are not currently European Tour members to join the tour, it might mean they are asked to play one or two extra events and it might alter their schedule, but I think players in my position are going to want to support it.”