Category: Top Tours

Categories
European Tour

Prep for the Ryder Cup: DP World Tour brings team match play tournament

Luke Donald is looking forward to a new match play team tournament on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)
Luke Donald is looking forward to a new match play team tournament on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)

In the week leading up to the DP World Tour’s (formerly European Tour) flagship tournament – the BMW PGA Championship, which also kicks off Ryder Cup qualifying – the European circuit has announced a new tournament format. The Hero Cup in January 2023 will be played in team match play as a sort of replacement for the Seve Trophy last held in 2013. Captain Luke Donald is enthusiastic and hopes to prepare for the Ryder Cup.

DP World Tour: New team match play format

“One of the first things I was keen to do when I was appointed as Ryder Cup Captain was to reinstate a team match play contest to give playing and leadership experience to future Ryder Cup players, vice-captains and Captains,” the leader of the European Ryder Cup team for the 2023 continental competition in Rome is quoted as saying in a DP World Tour press release. The Hero Cup, scheduled to take place at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from 13-15 January 2023, will feature two ten-man teams made up of British/Irish and Continental European golfers.

Donald will be in charge of the event and will assemble both teams in consultation with their respective captains, who are yet to be announced. The competition will consist of a fourball, a foursome and a singles round, each involving all 20 players. Who will be allowed to compete in the new tournament format will be announced after the season ends with the DP World Tour Championship 2022 in Dubai. The performance of the past season will also be taken into account in the selection.

Luke Donald with plenty of influence

“I spoke to a number of former Ryder Cup Captains who were strong advocates of how similar events in the past have benefitted players who were pushing to make Ryder Cup teams, as well as their own captaincy journey,” Donald, who was appointed skipper just a few weeks ago, said of the reasons for the new format.

The Ryder Cup captain thus continues to influence the design of the Continental Cup, which will be held in September 2023 at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club outside Rome. Most recently, Donald, together with his vice-captains, had adjusted the qualifying criteria and given himself more leeway by selecting a larger number of picks. Now the aim is to increase competitiveness again through playing practice in team competition and in man-to-man battles after they went down in the “Waterloo of Wisconsin” against an overpowering American team in 2021.

Categories
PGA Tour

These golfers are nominated: Election of the “Player of the Year” of the PGA Tour

Can be voted "Player of the Year" on the PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy (left), Scottie Scheffler (center) and Cameron Smith. (Photo: Getty)
Can be voted "Player of the Year" on the PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy (left), Scottie Scheffler (center) and Cameron Smith. (Photo: Getty)

Today, the PGA Tour announced the contenders for the Jack Nicklaus Award, given to the “Player of the Year,” and the Arnold Palmer Award, given to the “Rookie of the Year.” Three players each were nominated by PGA Tour player directors and Player Advisory Council members. A member vote will be held through Sept. 9: PGA Tour members who have played in at least 15 official FedExCup events during the 2021/22 season are eligible to vote.

Nominated for the PGA Tour’s “Player of the Year” are:

Rory McIlroy

The 33-year-old Northern Irishman competed in 16 tournaments and walked away victorious three times: at The CJ Cup@Summit, the RBC Canadian Open and the TOUR Championship. Rory McIlroy’s victory at the TOUR Championship made him the winner of the FedExCup. He is the first player ever to win the PGA Tour’s season standings three times. He also led the PGA Tour in scoring average (68.670), the lowest on Tour since Tiger Woods in 2009 (68.670). He made 14 cuts and totaled 10 top-10 finishes.

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler won a total of four times in 25 tournament appearances, winning the World Cup Phoenix Open, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and the US Masters. He finished the season ranking of the PGA Tour in second place. Overall, the 25-year-old from Texas posted 11 top-10 finishes with a scoring average of 69.293 on 21 made cuts.

Cameron Smith

The third of the bunch, Cameron Smith, is from Australia and is 29 years old. He participated in a total of 18 tournaments and won the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Players Championship and the Open Championship. Smith finished 20th in the FedExCup with an average score of 69.203, second best on the tour. He missed the cut only three times, while finishing in the top 10 seven times.

These players are eligible for “Rookie of the Year”:

Tom Kim

Tom Kim is a 20-year-old player from South Korea. In his first season on the PGA Tour, he competed in eleven tournaments. He walked away victorious at the Wyndham Championship and placed in the top 10 at two other tournaments (Genesis Scottish Open (3rd) and Rocket Mortgage Classic (7th)). He capped a total of six top-25 finishes and ten mastered cuts with 35th place in the FedExCup.

Sahith Theegala

The 24-year-old Californian competed in 32 tournaments and posted five top-10 finishes, including a T2 at the Travelers Championship and a T3 at the World Cup Phoenix Open. He qualified for the TOUR Championship and finished 28th in the FedExCup. Overall, he collected 11 top-25 finishes and 26 placings to his credit.

Cameron Young

The last player to be selected as Rookie of the Year is 25-year-old Cameron Young. He competed in 25 tournaments and had seven top-10 finishes, including five second-place finishes: Young finished second at the Sanderson Farms Championship, the Genesis Invitational, the Wells Fargo Championship, the Open Championship and the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He tied for 19th in the FedExCup, earning a total of 12 top-25 finishes with 18 made cuts.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Tricky rules situation – Cam Smith penalized shortly before final round

Cameron Smith penalized on PGA Tour. (Photo: Screenshot Twitter/@ PGA Tour)
Cameron Smith penalized on PGA Tour. (Photo: Screenshot Twitter/@ PGA Tour)

Just before the final round at TPC Southwind, the bitter news reached Cameron Smith. The reigning Champion Golfer of the Year was within striking distance of the lead after three rounds in the first tournament following his British Open triumph, but lost two strokes before the final round on the PGA Tour. So it came down to the tricky scene:

On Moving Day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Cameron Smith had sunk his tee shot in the water on the par-3 4th hole. After the subsequent drop, his chip remained just a few centimeters from the hole and the number 2 in the world recorded a bogey. So far, everything seemed normal. The Australian finished his round with 67 strokes and could have attacked the top on Sunday with only two strokes behind. By the way, with a win in Memphis, he would have taken over the top spot in the FedExCup and the world rankings.

Rule violation: Playing from the wrong place

Instead, however, the rules officials noticed a possible violation of the Rules of Golf. The ball had still touched the red line of the side water hazard after said drop when Smith put the ball back in play. In doing so, he violated Rule 14.7 (“Playing from the Wrong Place”) after dropping under Rule 17.1 (“Ball in Penalty Area”). The problem was that after the drop, the ball had rolled back towards the penalty area and just touched the red line.

That officially put the ball back in the penalty zone and it wasn’t dropped appropriately. So Smith should have dropped again; had the ball rolled back into the penalty area, he would have been allowed to put the ball down. The three-time season winner was unaware of the issue and played the ball from the wrong spot, which is penalized with two strikes.

Disagreement among the referees

But why was the Players Champion sanctioned so late? PGA Tour Chief Referee Gary Young explained that the possible rules violation was noticed as early as Saturday during the television broadcast, but was not investigated further because “the camera angles were awkward and he was dropping in a really tight area. We were confident at that point that he was familiar with the rule.” The official on the lap was too far away to assess the situation, he said, and had not been called in by the player. “It was such a quick look that we had at that point that we decided it wasn’t worth pursuing,” Young added. “It’s something the players do every day”.

PGA Tour’s Cam Smith admits unwitting violation

But after the round, he said, they took a closer look at the scene and wanted to make sure there was no violation of the rules. That’s why Young said he spoke to the player about an hour before his start time on the final day. “I thought it was just a situation where I ask Cameron the question and he tells me he’s sure the ball was outside the penalty area,” Young said. “Unfortunately, when I asked him the question, he told me, ‘No, the ball definitely touched the line.’ So at that point, there’s no turning back.” Smith accepted the penalty very calmly and matter-of-factly, he said. “His response to me was, ‘The rules are the rules,'” Young said.

So just before his tee time, Cameron Smith was penalized two strokes back, his score on hole 4 adjusted to a triple bogey. Instead of being two strokes behind, it was four. Whether burdened by this situation or not, the 28-year-old only played an even-par round and fell back to T13 in the final standings.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour: BMW Championship 2022 with world-class field

BMW Championship 2022. (Photo: BMW)
BMW Championship 2022. (Photo: BMW)

This week, the US state of Delaware will host a tournament on the PGA TOUR for the first time – and Wilmington Country Club welcomes an absolute highlight of the golfing calendar for this premiere: the BMW Championship, the penultimate tournament in the FedExCup Playoffs, and four-time “PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year”. Only the top 70 players in the end-of-season standings are eligible to tee off at the BMW Championship, with just 30 of them progressing to the season finale – the TOUR Championship. Professional golf does not get any higher quality or more intense than this.

BMW Championship 2022 with world-class field

This is underlined by the field. Will Zalatoris (USA) tees off as number one in the FedExCup ranking. Patrick Cantlay (USA), Rory McIlroy (NIR) and Justin Thomas (USA) are three former champions looking to regain their crown. They will be joined by major winners Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG), Cameron Smith (AUS), Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa (both USA). The entire top ten in the world rankings will tee off, led by number one Scottie Scheffler (USA).

The tournament week begins on Wednesday 17th August with the traditional BMW Championship Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am, which sees the likes of former basketballer and two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith, former NFL footballer Victor Cruz, and BMW Motorsport works driver Connor De Phillippi (all USA) tee off on the championship course.

All revenues from the sale of Pro-Am places – along with all other proceeds from the BMW Championship – will support the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides full tuition and housing scholarships for hardworking young caddies. Since the tournament’s inception 16 years ago, The BMW Championship has raised over $40 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation and helped send 3,300 caddies to college. For the upcoming school year, a record 1,100 Evans Scholars will attend 22 leading universities nationwide, including one caddie from Wilmington Country Club.

BMW of North America will contribute a four-year Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing grant, in the name of the first PGA TOUR player to record a hole-in-one on any hole during the 2022 BMW Championship. To date, five such Hole-In-One Scholarships have been awarded. It is also worth hitting an ace for the professionals, although it must be on the 15th hole. The first player to hit a hole-in-one on this hole during a tournament round will be rewarded with a fully-electric BMW i7 (combined power consumption, acc. WLTP: 19.6 – 18.4 kWh/100 kM; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km; specifications acc. NEDC: -). As the world’s first thoroughbred luxury limousine with 100% electric drive, the BMW i7 brings innovative driving pleasure to the streets with a range of more than 600 kilometres.

The BMW Group’s transformation towards electromobility will also be visible and perceptible at Wilmington Country Club. At the heart of the BMW exhibition at the course will be the fully-electric BMW iX, BMW i4 and BMW i7 models.

Categories
Top Tours

Luke Donald named 2023 Ryder Cup Captain

Luke Donald named Ryder Cup Captain. (Image: Getty)
Luke Donald named Ryder Cup Captain. (Image: Getty)

Luke Donald has been named as the European Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy from September 25 – October 1, 2023.

Donald represented Europe in the Ryder Cup four times as a player, being part of a winning team on all four occasions, including in 2012 when he led Team Europe out in the Singles, securing the first blue point on the board in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’. 

He also has served as a Vice Captain in the last two editions of the biennial contest, under Thomas Bjørn in 2018 and Pádraig Harrington last year.

The 44 year old Englishman’s impressive individual playing career includes holding the position of Number One on the Official World Golf Rankings for a total of 56 weeks, and in 2011 he became the first player in history to top the money lists on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and the PGA TOUR in the same year. 

Donald said: “I am incredibly proud to be named European Ryder Cup Captain for 2023. It is truly one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed upon a golfer, to lead a team of your peers and be an ambassador for an entire continent. 

“I feel extremely privileged to have been given that responsibility and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly. 

“Some of my best experiences in golf have been in the Ryder Cup and I would not swap those for anything. It is an event like no other and I cannot wait to create more special memories in Italy next year. 

“I love everything the Ryder Cup embodies, from the camaraderie and companionship of being part of a team, to the history of the contest, but most of all playing for something bigger than yourself. 

“Rome will be a fantastic host city, and I have always enjoyed spending time there. It is a city rich in history and hopefully we can create some of our own in 14 months’ time.”

Guy Kinnings, the European Ryder Cup Director, said: “Luke is a former World Number One who possesses a superb Ryder Cup record, so he undoubtedly has the credentials required to be a successful European Captain. 

“He is hugely respected by the players and by the wider support team at Ryder Cup Europe who have already done an immense amount of work behind the scenes to give him a strong platform for the remaining 14 months before the match gets underway.

“We have continued the tradition of moving forward with players in the role of Captain who have excelled in the Ryder Cup arena; and in terms of Luke, we are combining that experience with strong leadership and a meticulous approach. On behalf of everyone at Ryder Cup Europe, we look forward to fully supporting him in the quest to reclaim the Ryder Cup next year.”

Donald has wasted little time in ensuring continuity in the key backroom area of Team Europe, confirming that both existing Vice Captains – Thomas Bjørn and Edoardo Molinari – will continue in their respective positions.

“In my opinion, it was essential that Thomas and Edoardo remained part of the team. They were the first two calls I made once I got the nod to be Captain and I’m delighted that they are fully on-board.

“Nobody needs any explanation of how important Thomas is to the Ryder Cup – one glance at the history books will show you that. He has lived and breathed European golf for the past 30 years and having his know-how behind me, not least as a winning Captain, will be vital.

“Furthermore, Edoardo has blazed an impressive trail for himself in the world of stats and his knowledge in this area with the players who will be on the team, in addition to extra-special Italian element he will bring to the entire occasion, is an extra bonus for Team Europe.”

Donald boasts a formidable playing record in the Ryder Cup, contributing 10½ points from his 15 matches. 

He made his debut as part of Bernhard Langer’s record-breaking team at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004, halving his opening match with Paul McGinley against Chris Riley and Stewart Cink, before teaming up with Sergio Garcia in the foursomes to defeat Cink and Kenny Perry 2&1 on the Friday, followed by a 1 up Foursomes victory with Garcia against Jim Furyk and Fred Funk on the Saturday.  

Donald claimed a maximum three points from his three matches at The K Club, in Ireland, in 2006 under the captaincy of Ian Woosnam as Europe retained the Ryder Cup with a second consecutive 18½-9½ victory. He once again teamed up with Garcia in the Foursomes, defeating Tiger Woods and Furyk 2 up on the Friday, then Phil Mickelson and David Toms 2&1 on the Saturday, before exacting revenge on Chad Campbell for his loss in the Singles two years earlier with a 2&1 victory. 

His next appearance came at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010 when he contributed a further three points from his four matches, partnering Ian Poulter to defeat Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton 2&1 in Foursomes, before teaming up with Lee Westwood to beat Steve Stricker and Woods 6&5 in the same format. Donald then defeated Furyk on the final hole of their Singles match as Europe claimed a memorable 14½-13½ win in Wales. 

Donald was also an integral part of another dramatic European victory two years later in Illinois, the State where he studied at Northwestern University. Partnering Garcia in the Saturday afternoon Fourballs against Woods and Stricker, his stunning tee shot inside Woods’ on the elevated par three 17th hole was a pivotal moment in the Miracle at Medinah, as the pair went on to win their match on the final hole, shortly before Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy reduced the deficit to four points with their victory against Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner. 

Captain José María Olazábal then handed Donald the responsibility of leading Europe out in the Sunday Singles against Bubba Watson, and Donald duly set the tone for one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Ryder Cup, winning his match 2&1. 

Donald had entered the record books of his own accord a year previously when in 2011 he became the first player to top the season-long money lists on both sides of the Atlantic, winning the Player of the Year award on the PGA TOUR and Golfer of the Year in Europe in the process. 

His four victories that season included the WGC-Accenture Match Play, defeating Ryder Cup teammate Martin Kaymer in the final to reach World Number One for the first time. 

He also won the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a title he successfully defended in 2012 to take his total of victories on the DP World Tour to seven. 

Donald returned to the Ryder Cup arena in 2018 when he was selected as a Vice Captain by Thomas Bjørn at Le Golf National in Paris, a role he also performed last year at Whistling Straits under Pádraig Harrington. 

Categories
European Tour

BMW PGA Championship 2022 with Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm.

Billy Horschel and Rory McIlroy, previous winners of the BMW PGA Championship. (Photo: BMW)
Billy Horschel and Rory McIlroy, previous winners of the BMW PGA Championship. (Photo: BMW)

The BMW PGA Championship is one of the most prestigious, atmospheric pro golf events in Europe. More than 100,000 spectators come to the Wentworth Club near London each year to experience the “Festival of Golf”. The tournament with a prize fund of eight million US dollars has a top-class field once again this year, headed up by world number three Rory McIlroy. The four-time major winner is returning to compete on the iconic West Course for the first time since 2019.

Previous tournament winners in the field at the BMW PGA Championship

McIlroy won the BMW PGA Championship in 2014 and narrowly missed out on his second title four years later, when finished runner-up behind Francesco Molinari. This year, the man from Northern Ireland is one of the top favourites. McIlroy is in excellent form, as shown by his second place at the Masters and third place at The Open. “I look forward to competing at the BMW PGA Championship again,” McIlroy said. “It’s an event I always love playing – the West Course has been good to me in the past, and the fans are incredibly supportive.”

Billy Horschel will be making the journey from the USA to defend his title. The 2014 FedExCup winner came top of the field last year after an excellent final round (7 under par) and afterwards said that this victory was a dream come true. Horschel, currently number 14 in the world rankings, is also in superb form. He won his seventh title on the PGA TOUR at the Memorial Tournament in June.

McIlroy (2012) and Horschel (2014) have also both won the PGA TOUR playoff event BMW Championship. Spain’s Jon Rahm (2020) has as well, but he has not managed to win the BMW PGA Championship as yet. The world number five is hoping to change that this year, after finishing second behind England’s Danny Willett in 2019. “I cannot wait to return to the BMW PGA Championship. It really is an incredible event – a huge attendance of knowledgeable and supportive fans, a world-class golf course and it’s a historic championship,” said the Spaniard. “I’m aiming to bring my best game in September and challenge for the title once again.”

For the first time since winning the U.S. Open, Matt Fitzpatrick will contest a tournament in his home country of England. No doubt the world number ten will be given a suitably enthusiastic reception. The 27-year-old is highly motivated to finally taste success at the Wentworth Club as well. “I’ve always played well there but never quite challenged, so I’m hoping with the form that I’m in, I can change that this year and maybe be there or thereabouts on Sunday afternoon.”

With Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett, the BMW PGA Champions of 2020 and 2019 will also be trying to win one of the world’s most important professional golf titles once again in front of their home crowd.

Categories
Top Tours

The Open – the very first staging in Prestwick

The 5th hole of Prestwick Golf Club, one of the first venues of the British Open. (Photo: Getty)

The history of the British Open dates back to 1860, at a time when America is on the verge of a drastic civil war and makes Abraham Lincoln its president in November, things are much more leisurely in Great Britain. In Scotland, a society of golfers comes together to play the first Open Championship on a twelve-hole round on the grounds of Prestwick Golf Club on October 17, 1860.

The Open Tournament Page | News, Leaderboard & Tee Times

First venue of the British Open: Built by a genius
The course at Prestwick Golf Club had been designed by golf’s all-round genius Old Tom Morris, the host club’s greenkeeper at the time, whose son managed the first hole-in-one at the tournament just seven years later. Both dominated the tournament for several years in the beginning.

Later, the competition was held on three different courses, always in alternation, after Young Tom Morris had won the tournament on his father’s course three times in a row. Because the early contests were played on a twelve-hole course, the round was played three times in just one day to reach a total of 36 holes.

Golf on the move
When the first British Open took place, golf was in the midst of a flurry of change. Outside of Great Britain, golf was still barely established at the time – the first German golf club (the Royal Homburger Golf Club and the Wiesbadener Golf-Club are in dispute over the designation of the first German golf club) did not open its doors until the end of the century.

The first ladies’ golf club was founded seven years after the Open premiere, although half a century had passed since the first ladies’ golf tournament at the time of the first Open Championship. Played at Musselburgh – a course that would also host the British Open on a few occasions – it was the first documented ladies’ tournament in the history of golf.

Dynamic period of golf technology
But the sport also underwent some technological changes in the period before and after the first British Open. While hickory shafts were still common at the first Open, by the end of the century experiments would be made with the steel shaft that would later revolutionize the game. Similarly, in 1898, the Haskell ball with a wrapped hard rubber core replaced the gutta-percha ball established in 1848, which had been common at the first and subsequent tournaments.

In 1894, the USGA was founded, which meant that for the first time there was also a regulating institution in golf in the United States. Four years later, the Stableford method of counting was invented and the wooden tee was patented the following year. At the first British Open, moreover, professional golfers were still rare, but participation by amateurs was nevertheless prohibited – so it came about that the first field of participants consisted of only eight golfers.

Categories
Top Tours

The Open Rota, the venues of the British Open

2012 at Royal Lytham & St Anne's, Lytham: The Open Rota is a selection of nine links courses that alternate in hosting the British Open. (Photo: Getty)

The British Open is traditionally played on links courses, alternating between Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. The venues are selected according to a fixed Open Rota principle, in which nine fixed courses (all links courses) alternate.

The Open Rota includes the following courses:

  • The Old Course at St Andrews
  • Carnoustie
  • Royal St George’s
  • Royal Lytham & St Annes
  • Royal Birkdale
  • Turnberry
  • Royal Liverpool
  • Royal Portrush
  • Royal Troon


The only constant in this constant change is: The Old Course. The golf course is part of the British Open every five years. It’s easy to remember: All years ending in 0 and 5 like 2000, 2005, 2010 lead the participants to the course in St Andrews.

Open Rota without clear order or rhythm
The organizer, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), selects the Open Rota to fit together as harmoniously as possible – without any clear order or rhythm. In doing so, they coordinate their selections with the clubs’ schedules and construction or renovation plans, for example, or pay attention to the course’s requirements for players.

For example, Royal Birkdale was the venue in 1983, then eight years later in 1991, again seven years later in 1998, and then not again for another ten years in 2008. Royal Liverpool, on the other hand, was the venue for the British Open in 1967 and then not again until almost 40 years later in 2006. With the next venue in 2014, the break was not even close to that long. In 2017, it’s Royal Birkdale’s turn for the tenth time.

Back to The Open Golf – Everything you need to know

Categories
European Tour

Statement from the DP World Tour on recently issued sanctions

Keith Pelley at the JP McManus Pro-Am in Ireland. (Photo: Getty)
Keith Pelley at the JP McManus Pro-Am in Ireland. (Photo: Getty)

Following a hearing before HHJ Sycamore CBE, appointed by Sport Resolutions (UK), suspensions imposed on Ian Poulter, Adrian Otaegui and Justin Harding have been temporarily stayed, pending determination of their substantive appeals by an Appeal Panel in due course.

Keith Pelley about the lifting of the sanctions

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Out of respect for JP and Noreen McManus, their wonderful Pro-Am and the outstanding fundraising they undertake on behalf of charities in the west of Ireland, I will not be giving a detailed response on this matter right now.
 
“I will simply say we are disappointed by the outcome of today’s hearing, but will abide by the decision. It is important to remember, however, this is only a stay of the sanctions imposed, pending the hearing of the players’ appeal as to whether those sanctions were appropriate.
 
“The make-up of the field for the Genesis Scottish Open will be advised in due course, but based on this decision the field size will increase beyond 156.
 
“We will make further comment on this in due course, but not during our time at Adare Manor.”

(Text: DP World Tour)

Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour – Keith Pelley: “The accusations are not tenable”

The DP World Tour statement. (Photo: Getty)
The DP World Tour statement. (Photo: Getty)

 
“There has been a leak to the media of a letter we received on behalf of a number of LIV Golf players which contains so many inaccuracies that it cannot remain unchallenged.
 
“Before joining LIV Golf, players knew there would be consequences if they chose money over competition. Many of them at the time understood and accepted that. Indeed, as one player named in the letter said in a media interview earlier this year; ‘If they ban me, they ban me.’ It is not credible that some are now surprised with the actions we have taken.
 
“The letter claims that these players ‘care deeply’ for the DP World Tour. An analysis of the past participation statistics on our Tour in recent years of several of the leading players named, suggests otherwise.
 
“One player in particular named in the note has only played six Rolex Series events in the past five years. Another one, only four. I wish many of them had been as keen to play on our Tour then as they seem to be now, based on the fact they have either resigned their membership of the PGA TOUR or, if they are still in membership, have been suspended indefinitely.
 
“Furthermore, given how deeply these players say they care about the DP World Tour, perhaps some of them could have played in Ireland this week in support of our new title sponsor, in particular one player who gave us a signed commitment to play at Mount Juliet.
 
“With that player currently in action at Pumpkin Ridge, you can imagine the allegation in the letter that we are in the wrong, is hard to accept.
 
“We also take great exception to an allegation made near the end of the letter which states we are somehow playing ‘second fiddle’ to the PGA TOUR. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
“We held a player meeting in Ireland on Tuesday where we outlined in great detail all the many benefits of our expanded relationship with the PGA TOUR.
 
“One of those is an unprecedented ten cards on offer to the PGA TOUR, cards that many of the players named in this letter desperately wanted to attain in the early stages of their careers. Why now be critical of those trying to do the same?
 
“The letter also expresses supposed concern about the future of the DP World Tour. Rest assured no-one should have any worries on that score.
 
“The DP World Tour is a vibrant, independent and global Tour with increasing and guaranteed prize fund growth over the next five years. We have fantastic tournaments across the year including a host of wonderful national Opens, all played in front of huge crowds, illustrated perfectly by this week’s Horizon Irish Open.
 
“Finally, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any potential legal matters.
 
“I will simply reiterate that our Members’ Regulations which have been in force for more than 30 years, have been accepted by all the players, are there to protect all of our members, and we will use them to take all necessary steps to protect their interests.
 
“The sanctions for those members who knowingly broke our rules by playing at the Centurion Club without a release are proportionate, fair and, I believe, considered necessary by the majority of our members.”

Text: DP World Tour