Category: European Tour

Ryan Fox has won the 2022 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year for last season by his fellow professionals on the DP World Tour.

The 36-year-old becomes the first New Zealander to win the prestigious award since Michael Campbell received the honour in 2005, and it comes after an outstanding season during which he won twice and finished in a career-best second place on the DP World Tour Rankings presented by Rolex.

Fox polled 50% of the votes cast in total by the DP World Tour members, with DP World Tour Rankings winner Rory McIlroy taking second place ahead of the 2022 U.S. Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick in third.

The Kiwi was presented with the trophy by one of Seve’s sons Javier and his daughter Carmen, both of whom travelled to this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour – a tournament won by Seve himself in 1992 – to officially welcome Fox to the illustrious list of winners. 

Consistently good performances in the 2022 season

Fox started 2022 in fine style, picking up his second DP World Tour title at the Ras al Khaimah Classic in February before an emotional victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews in October.

The 2016 Challenge Tour graduate dedicated his victory at the Home of Golf to the late cricketing great Shane Warne, whom he paired up with in the popular Pro-Am format on numerous occasions, including finishing runners-up together in the 2021 contest. 

In addition to his pair of victories, Fox showed remarkable consistency to notch up four second place finishes – at the Soudal Open, Dutch Open, Horizon Irish Open and the Nedbank Golf Challenge – as well as a further four top tens.  

His excellent form led to a meteoric rise up the Official World Golf Ranking as he climbed from outside the top 200 into the world’s top 50 for the first time, peaking at a career-best 23rd after his victory at the Old Course. 

The Player of the Year Award, named after the legendary Seve Ballesteros, last year amalgamated with the former Golfer of the Year award to become one singular honour voted for by the players, helping further commemorate the Spaniard’s incredible legacy.

“It’s kind of surreal”

Fox said: “It’s probably not something that I expected ever in my career. I would like to say it’s something I dreamed of, but you look at those names on the trophy and I probably don’t count myself as one of those. That is pretty cool, and to have Javier and Carmen come out and present it made it even more special.  

“Last year I thought I had a chance but a few other guys played pretty well, Rory, Matt, Jon Rahm, especially at the end of the year.  So when Keith Pelley told me I was pretty shocked and obviously pretty chuffed as well. To have your peers vote for you makes it that extra bit special. 

“Obviously Dunhill Links was a big highlight for me last year, to win around the Home of Golf, it doesn’t really get any better. I shared the experience with Shane Warne for the previous four or five Dunhills that I played, and it was a bit sad without him there last year. To honour him that way made it even more special.

“Seve is such an icon of golf, and I’m a bit of a golf nut. I knew the history of Seve but probably didn’t quite understand then, growing up in New Zealand, quite the influence he had over here. It’s cool to hear the stories from some of the older guys that played with him, but to have my name on the Seve Ballesteros Award, it’s kind of surreal. It’s pretty cool to be part of a little bit of history in that regard.”

Javier Ballesteros: “He’s a fantastic guy”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Ryan’s form throughout 2022 was nothing short of outstanding. His two wins were undoubtedly the highlight, but to record a further eight top tens shows a remarkable level of consistency that clearly impressed his peers.

“Ryan is not only an immensely popular member of the DP World Tour, but also someone who cares deeply for the Tour as is illustrated by the valuable work he does, and the intelligent opinions he offers, as a member of our Tournament Committee.

“I also want to say thank you to Javier and Carmen Ballesteros for making the effort to travel to Dubai to present the award to Ryan. It meant a lot to him and to every one of us at the DP World Tour to have them there to represent their father.” 

Javier Ballesteros said: “Well, I’m very happy that Ryan got the award. I think it’s important that Ryan got it with two wins, and of course he played a full season on the DP World Tour.  It left me very happy,  considering he’s a fantastic guy as well. 

“For me, it’s very important and we are very proud to have our father’s name on this award. It’s a prize that is given by the players and to have his name on the award, it’s a very good way to keep his legacy alive.”

(Text: DP World Tour)

The IGF was founded in 1958 and is the recognised International Federation within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

Keith Pelley wants to present golf as a “sport for all”

Pelley said: “I am very honoured to accept this important and prestigious role and I look forward to working with Annika and Antony Scanlon, the IGF’s Executive Director, as well as the individual member Federations and Tours, to continue to develop our sport globally. 

“I have always said that I believe golf is the most inclusive of all sports and the IGF, through its relationships with these member organisations and the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, undoubtedly has an important part to play in promoting this internationally and showcasing golf as a sport for all.”

Antony Scanlon, Executive Director of the IGF, said: “We are grateful for the leadership of Keith Pelley and Annika Sörenstam as we continue to encourage the international development of the sport of golf. 

“As two prominent members in the international golf landscape, Keith and Annika will bring extensive experience and knowledge to our overall strategy and we are thrilled to have them in these key roles. I also want to thank PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan for his tenure as the IGF Chairman and we’re delighted to have him continue on the Board moving forward.”

In August 2015, Pelley became the fourth Chief Executive in the 50 year history of the European Tour group, which incorporates the DP World Tour, the European Challenge Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour, and is the Managing Partner of the Ryder Cup in Europe.

During his time in the role, the Canadian has overseen a period of significant evolution through the European Tour group’s commitment to Driving Golf Further and its guiding principles of being innovative, inclusive and global.

This includes the introduction of the Rolex Series, a landmark partnership which saw DP World become the title partner of the group’s main Tour, and the creation of a global pathway system through partnerships with international Tours and an  operational joint venture with the PGA TOUR. The latter partnership also led to the Genesis Scottish Open becoming the historic first co-sanctioned event between the two Tours this summer. 

Pelley has also overseen a closer collaboration with the women’s game, including co-sanctioned events such as the Volvo Cars Scandinavian Mixed, and the introduction of the ground-breaking G4D Tour (Golf for the Disabled) in conjunction with the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA), of which he is a Board member. 

Prior to joining the European Tour group, Pelley was President of Rogers Media in Toronto where he was responsible for leading the overall operations of the company’s diverse portfolio. Before that, he was Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning at CTVglobemedia, President of Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts Football Club and President of The Sports Network in Canada.

Sörenstam, who has 97 worldwide professional victories during her prestigious playing career, was re-elected for a second two-year term as IGF President, which she’ll serve from 2023-2024.

During her 15-year, Hall-of-Fame playing career, Sörenstam rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, won countless awards and changed the way women’s golf was played, viewed and covered. In 2007, she created the ANNIKA Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.

(Text: DP World Tour)

Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick, the last two U.S. Open Champions, have been presented with Honorary Life Membership of the DP World Tour ahead of the 2022 season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

In 2021, Rahm became the first Spanish winner of the U.S. Open as he triumphed at Torrey Pines, birdieing the final two holes to finish one stroke ahead of Louis Oosthuizen. He returned to World Number One with his victory and became just the fourth Spaniard to win a Major Championship.

Earlier this year, Fitzpatrick completed a fairy-tale triumph at The Country Club, Brookline, winning the U.S. Open at the same venue he won the U.S. Amateur Championship nine years prior – joining Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win both Championships on the same course.

Keith Pelley, the CEO of the DP World Tour, presented the pair with their Honorary Life Membership cards ahead of the final Rolex Series event of 2022, becoming the 58^th and 59^th members to be conferred the honour.

He said: “Jon and Matt’s achievements over the last two years were truly special and we are delighted to present them both with Honorary Life Membership of the DP World Tour.

“Jon assumed the status of an Honorary Life Member of our Tour immediately after his win at Torrey Pines but with him not being here in Dubai last year, we were unable to make the official presentation – I am delighted to be able to put that right this year, alongside recognising Matt for his own magical U.S. Open moment in June.

“Jon’s victory was an incredible achievement, becoming the first Spaniard to win the U.S. Open and just the fourth Major winner from Spain. And for Matt to write his name alongside Jack Nicklaus in golf’s record books is something that few golfers in history can claim to do.”

Rahm said: “To join the list of icons that have earned this, it is truly an honour. Any time you can write your name in history next to some of the greatest players that have accomplished this before me is very unique. To keep doing things like this, it is a true honour to represent Spain and an honour to receive this.”

Fitzpatrick said: “I’ve been out on Tour seven or eight years now and I remember when Danny Willett received his and I thought at the time ‘I’d love one of those’. When I found out that I’d be presented with Honorary Life Membership by Keith and the Tour I was truly honoured. I’m very grateful.”