Keith Pelley’s departure from the DP World Tour was confirmed on Thursday, but the chief executive has vowed to stay on for three months to oversee the final stages of golf’s peace treaty
Departing DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley has revealed that he expects a deal between the Wentworth-based circuit, the PGA Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to be signed off before his official exit in April.
When the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour announced plans to collaborate with PIF in June of last year, the sports world was taken aback. It was anticipated that the agreement would bring professional golf back together and put an end to the rivalry between the two tours and LIV Golf.
They had originally intended to approve the agreement by December 31, but because the negotiations took longer than anticipated, the deadline was missed last month.
The PGA Tour revealed just hours before the deadline that they were still in negotiations with PIF and Strategic Sports Group (SSG), an American investor. Pelley now anticipates that the deal will be finalized within the next three months, despite the delays.
“We hope to reach a conclusion, and moving that forward is going to be my primary focus over the next three months,” he stated on Friday. I’ve made it clear to the PGA Tour and PIF representatives that I plan to stay until April because that is my top priority.
“I still think so. We need to proceed with the framework agreement since that is the reason we entered into it. Three months ahead of time, Pelley announced his departure. The Canadian will return home in April to take up the role of President of Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment (MLSE).
In order to facilitate the passage of golf’s framework agreement, the Tour boss acknowledged that he chose to postpone his official role change by three months. “The main reason is that I’m not going to be gone for three months,” the sixty-year-old continued.
“I discussed staying on to try to finish the framework with the chairman of the [DP World Tour] and the nomination committee. We all want the game to be more unified, I believe. It would be extremely satisfying, especially to me, if it were to happen.
Pelley will take over at MLSE, which owns a number of Canadian sports teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, and the Toronto Raptors, after leaving the Tour. He will be replaced by current deputy CEO and Ryder Cup director Guy Kinnings, who will become the new man in charge of European golf.
Following his appointment, Kinnings stated: “Since I joined the Tour in 2018, it has been an honor to collaborate closely with Keith. He came with the intention of changing the European Tour team, and he has surely succeeded in doing so. I am incredibly proud to have been assigned this responsibility, and it will be a great honor to assume this role in April.
“Over the next three months, I will keep collaborating closely with Keith, Eric, and the Board to guarantee a smooth transition. In order to build on what our Tour has accomplished recently, I am looking forward to working with our players, staff, and partners in the game, as well as our very impressive Executive Leadership and Senior Management Teams.
