Keith Pelley, the soon-to-depart CEO of the European Tour Group, has warned the PGA Tour and its members that they must embrace the “global” nature of golf. Pelley believes that meaningful progress has been made toward a deal that would see existing entities partner with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and Fenway Sports to organize elite golf, but that it has taken some time for the PGA Tour to enter the world beyond came to appreciate the United States. .
“The growth of the game is global,” Pelley said. “I think that’s where the focus should be. I think with the rise of FSG, owner of Liverpool (FC), they understand the importance of global insight. PIF certainly understands the importance of being global. This is a global game. Every company growing now wants to be global. What I would like to see is that the game is united with a global strategy.
“I think the PGA Tour is coming to the realization that global is the key to growth. They heard me say it once or twice.”
Addressing the media at the Tour Championship in August, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan placed noticeable emphasis on the future of his organization rather than the sport as a whole. In April, Pelley will end a largely successful stint in his role – which he took on in 2015 – to take over as president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in his native Canada. The 60-year-old hopes the future of professional golf will be clear by then. The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF signed a framework agreement in June.
“Our goal is to unify the game,” Pelley said. “I don’t think all the dialogue that has taken place has been positive for the game and I think the game is growing at a rapid pace due to Covid. The professional game must be united to benefit from the growth of the amateur game. There are so many wonderful things happening in our game.
“That was the whole concept behind the framework agreement, and I think some top players in the US are starting to realize that that was exactly the purpose of the framework agreement. It was to unify the game. Unfortunately, after that framework agreement, some of the top players in the United States did not support the framework agreement, which we needed. I think they now realize that the best way to move forward is to unite the game. I think we will know the direction of travel in the coming months.”
Under Pelley’s leadership, the DP World Tour has handled the impact of that pandemic admirably and battled the threat posed by LIV, which is funded by Saudi Arabia. As recently as December, Spaniard Jon Rahm shocked the members of his home tour by signing up for LIV. Rory McIlroy then expressed his long-held view that golf should be a form of world tour.
“Jon is a great champion and I respect the decision he has made for his family,” Pelley said. “If the game didn’t become one, I would be quite disappointed. I believed that we had to unite and all work together. I’ve believed that for years. So I was overjoyed with what happened in June, and that was the right direction. I still believe this is the right direction. What that means for what the product will look like later is the second step.”