Since 2015, Keith Pelley, 58, has been the boss of the European Tour, whose professional circuit has just taken the name of its main sponsor, to become the DP World Tour.
This managing director, a native of Toronto who has worked in sports television and the management of hockey and American football clubs, has already left his mark on the institution which manages the development of European golf, in particular by signing an important agreement with the PGA. American Tour, creating new tournaments and attracting investors.
As the season resumes this week in Abu Dhabi, Keith Pelley has agreed to answer questions from Golf Planet and get an overview of golfing news.
Starting with the future of the French Open, the fate of which still worries some people here.
OdF: More good news in the weeks to come
You met Pascal Grizot at the end of last December. What were the main points of your conversation? As we do not yet know the sponsor of the Open de France, should French golfers fear for the future of this tournament?
Keith Pelley : Before meeting again in London at the end of December, Pascal and I had jointly announced in November the return of the French Open to the 2022 European calendar after a two-year absence due to the pandemic. The French Open will be played in September, during the same week as the 2018 Ryder Cup. We then confirmed a prize pool of 3 million euros, double its last edition in 2019. As I said at the time, this underscored our commitment to the oldest national Open in continental Europe.
I will add that we hope to share more exciting news about the French Open in the coming weeks. Certainly French golfers and golf fans can look to the future with optimism.
We are all delighted that our champions will meet again this year on one of the best golf courses in Europe: Le Golf National near Paris.
Could the Ryder Cup be back at Le Golf National before 2040?
Keith Pelley : Without a doubt, the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National was a monumental success. Apart from the sporting aspect which was a total success, it was also the most commercially successful Ryder Cup in Europe.
Of course, the performance of Team Europe against the USA contributed to this. But having organized one of the most important sports competitions in the world in Paris, on a magnificent golf course, obviously benefited from the aura of one of the most legendary cities in the world: it was a perfect combination for this event. exceptional. I am sure that Le Golf National and Paris will also provide the best for the 2024 Olympic Games.
As for future European editions of the Ryder Cup, remember that the next one will take place in another emblematic European city: Rome where, next year, the Marco Simone course will host the first Italian Ryder Cup. The centenary edition will be held in Ireland, at Adare Manor in 2027.
Beyond that, nothing is set in stone: we have received many expressions of interest from a number of potential venues in different European countries to host the 2031 and 2035 Ryder Cups: our team is currently in the process of assess.
The alliance with the PGA will see further developments
How many DP World Tour tournaments could join the PGA Tour in the near future, like the Scottish Open did?
Keith Pelley : As you know, we have announced that three events will be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour in 2022: the Genesis Scottish Open, the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship. All three will count towards both our DP World Tour rankings and the PGA Tour’s Fed Ex Cup and provide playing opportunities for members of both tours.
It was the first joint announcement we made after signing our strategic alliance in November 2020. Jay Monahan and I said at the time that it was really just a first step. Our respective teams have worked closely together behind the scenes, not only on programming but on all facets of our tours.
Our announcement also included the doubling of the Irish Open endowment fund to €6 million. We continue to explore how to work together even better for the benefit of both Tours and the betterment of world golf.
I can tell you that we look forward to revealing more details on the progress of our alliance in the months to come.
Jay Monnahan sits with you on the European Tour Board as a partner. Why don’t you get the same treatment at the PGA Tour?
Keith Pelley : As part of our strategic alliance agreement, the PGA Tour has taken a minority stake in European Tour Productions, the media production company of the European Tour group. This is why Jay is now part of the European Tour Group Board of Directors.
How do you feel about the new developments in the upcoming Premier Golf League?
Keith Pelley : There have been a lot of rumors and speculation about alternate leagues for many years. My feelings or opinions remain the same, which is that our goal is to work firmly with the PGA TOUR to continue to improve our products for the benefit of world golf.
The golf ecosystem is already very strong: the two main professional circuits working together will undoubtedly strengthen it for a long time to come…
We have become a worldwide circuit
Some players like Colin Montgomerie do not agree with the pre-eminence of money in golf and express their disapproval when the European Tour takes on a new name, that of an Emirates trading company. What is your response to their nostalgic attitude?
Keith Pelley : The fact that DP World has become the main sponsor of the European circuit is a milestone in our history. DP World and the European Tour Group are both celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2022 and the agreement has allowed us to announce a record-breaking overall prize pool of over $200 million for this season. Including minimum amounts of $2 million for each event sanctioned by the new DP Tour.
When we made this announcement last November, we also committed to ensure a positive impact on the professional set but also to develop the game on a global scale. You have already seen the impact that this policy has had on the Challenge Tour with the establishment of the John Jacobs scholarship and above all a schedule never so full for 2022.
Of course, the choice of this long-term partnership was not a decision that we took lightly. This is only the second time in our history that we have a title sponsor for our circuit: after being the Volvo Tour from 1988 to 1995, here is the DP Tour.
From the moment I joined the Tour as general manager, I said that the European Tour was in a way a misnomer: this name did not correspond neither to our brand nor to our reality. To illustrate this specific point, I would like to point out that the calendar announced in November includes 47 tournaments, including 23 in Europe… and 24 tournaments in the rest of the world!
In this sense, we have therefore become a world circuit: our name reflects this now. We are therefore delighted to have the support of DP World who have been an exceptional partner for us for more than a decade.
Technology and communication will develop
How do you imagine golf in Europe in 25 years?
Keith Pelley : Here is a tough question! The pace of developments and changes over the past few years has been rapid. It is therefore incredibly difficult to project oneself so far into the future.
However, I would say that the work we are currently doing with the PGA Tour will undoubtedly shape many aspects of what professional golf will look like in the years to come: it will provide a strong and clear path for players around the world to compete on the biggest stage in the world.
We will also continue to see greater use of technology in our game.
In this regard, our circuit has been at the forefront over the last six or seven years, thanks to innovations such as on-course player interviews. We will continue to explore ways to improve communication with players and their fans both on the courses and through our broadcast media.
Interviewed and translated by Roland Machenaud
Photos DR, European Tour Medias, Ryder Cup, Rolex, HSBC
