Merely a day after R&A CEO Martin Slumbers announced that he would be resigning from his post by the end of this year, DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley also went on to declare that he will be stepping down from his post. Henceforth, Pelley’s responsibilities will be passed down to his deputy, Guy Kinnings. Moreover, Pelley will be a part of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. going forward.
The Toronto native was the fourth chief executive of the DP World Tour, and joined his position in 2015. After concluding his journey with the DP World Tour, he will be the fifth president & CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., which is a top sports organization with several brands under its umbrella. After Pelley announced the end of his eight-year career, he had a few things to say!
Keith Pelley Shares His Journey With the DP World Tour
In an interview, Pelley was grateful of his journey and the time he spent in charge of the European Tour. He said,
“It has been an incredible honor to be the chief executive of this wonderful institution for the past eight and a half years.”
Added to that, he continued,
“When I came over from Canada, I set out to create a culture of innovation and to grow our prize funds and our tour for our members by ensuring that we appealed to new, younger and more diverse audience…fans have all fundamentally bought into that philosophy that we are in the entertainment industry.”
Pelley had an amazing tenure with the circuit and wanted to take up a different role before his retirement. He further talked about how his new role was hard to deny as it involved his home city. He feels fortunate to have been selected for this new role, and also showed confidence in his successor going forward.
In his time with the DP World Tour, Kelley introduced several new aspects, like Rolex Series events, events that involve the women’s golf circuit, and arranging international tournaments like the Ryder Cup on English soil. In 2022, Kelley also escalated the relationship between the English Tour and the PGA Tour and had a bond until 2035 that involved co-sanctioning the Genesis Scottish Invitational, Barbasol Championship, and Barracuda Championship. Also, other changes involved the top 10 Race to Dubai golfers getting exemptions, PGA Tour cards, and a $500,000 stipend.
In recent times, his most vital engagement was in the framework agreement with the PIF to create a for-profit entity backed by SSG. Pelley affirmed to the fans that the decisions are taken in the best interest of the long-term sustainability of golf. Now let’s see how people reacted to Keith’s unfeigned contribution.
Golf World Shows Obligation to Keith Pelley’s Unwavering Devotion To the DP World Tour
The chairman of the DP World Tour said,
“Keith has been a truly transformative leader, both for our Tour and for global golf.”
He added, “His impact should not be underestimated, and our strong succession planning means we have fully prepared for this.”
Even Rory McIlroy commented as this news circulated.
“I’m happy for Keith. I think it’s an awesome opportunity for him. I’m glad that other people see what I’ve certainly seen over the time he has been in charge of the European Tour. I think he’s done a great job.”
McIlroy further added how Pelley elevated the conditions of the tour and brought it to a position where it could benefit. He feels that the man is an asset. Now, it is to be seen whether Pelley’s successor can live up to the expectations and carry the legacy of the former chief executive going forward.
