Tag Archives: Keith Pelley

DP World Tour, Golf Courses and resorts

DP World Tour – Two new Spanish events added to the 2022 DP World Tour schedule

February 18, 2022 – The DP World Tour today announced the addition of two new tournaments in Spain to its 2022 schedule, with the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain and the Catalunya Championship taking place in consecutive weeks in April.

The ISPS Handa Championship in Spain will be played at Infinitum, in Tarragona, from April 21-24, while the Catalunya Championship will be contested at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness, in Girona, from April 28 – May 1.

Leading into the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett in England (May 5-8) and the Soudal Open in Belgium (May 12-15), the Spanish double-header will form a four week stretch on European soil between the season’s first two Major Championships – the Masters at Augusta and the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

Both Spanish tournaments will have prize funds of US$2 million and, due to the ongoing travel restrictions caused by the pandemic, will take the place on the 2022 DP World Tour schedule of the previously planned ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP and the Volvo China Open.

However, the ISPS HANDA Championship in Japan will continue as a solely sanctioned Japan Golf Tour event in the same week (April 21-24) with the original co-sanctioned ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP – the DP World Tour’s first official visit to Japan – now taking place in the 2023 season.

Infinitum, previously known as Lumine Golf, succeeded PGA Catalunya as host venue for the Tour’s Qualifying School Final from 2017 to 2019 and prior to that it was a Second Stage Qualifying School venue from 2012 onwards.

PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness, a European Tour Destination, was the venue for the Qualifying School Final for nine consecutive years from 2008 to 2016. It has also hosted four full Tour events: the Sarazen World Open in 1999 won by Thomas Bjørn and the Open de España on three occasions, in 2000, 2009 and 2014. The latter was notable for Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez’s victory which extended his own record as the Tour’s oldest winner to 50 years and 133 days.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “We have much valued relationships with both Infinitum and PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness and we are extremely grateful to these venues for moving so quickly to help host our events in April, enabling us to continue to provide valuable playing opportunities for our members.

“I would also like to thank the Japan Golf Tour and, of course, Dr Haruhisa Handa himself for his support in helping us relocate the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain, while at the same time organising the ISPS HANDA Championship in Japan. While it is disappointing our international membership will not have the opportunity to play in Japan this year, we are nevertheless grateful for Dr Handa’s continued commitment to the tournament overall, and we look forward to our first visit to his wonderful country in 2023.”

Finally, completing the tournament reorganisation of the next two months, the DP World Tour also confirms the rescheduled Commercial Bank Qatar Masters will be staged at Doha Golf Club from March 24-27, while a proposed ‘Asian event’ from April 14-17 will not now take place.

DP World Tour

European Tour – The Andalucia Masters has been postponed due to the ongoing threat posed by Coronavirus

March 17, 2020 – The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation, which had been scheduled to tale place from April 30-May 3 at Real Golf Club Valderrama in Spain, has been postponed due to the ongoing threat posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The decision was made in consultation with tournament stakeholders, the Junta de Andalucía, Real Club Valderrama, the Sergio Garcia Foundation and title sponsor Estrella Damm, in light of travel restrictions in Spain.

Discussions are ongoing with all parties looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at a later date.

Javier Reviriego, the General Manager of Real Club Valderrama, said: “We are deeply concerned by the current developments related to Coronavirus and we believe postponing the event is the best decision. We will work jointly with the European Tour and our sponsors to find a new date in the calendar to host this fantastic golf tournament. All of us at Valderrama look forward to hosting players and fans when we put this exceptional situation behind us.”

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “We are all taking a day-by-day approach at the moment and we continue to assess the impact of Coronavirus on all our events, but following discussions with all parties involved, it was clear that postponing the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation at this point is the correct course of action. Public health and well-being remains the absolute priority for all of us.”

DP World Tour

European Tour – Jon Rahm receives 2019 Seve Ballesteros Award as Players’ Player of the Year

February 20, 2020 – Jon Rahm has received the Seve Ballesteros Award as the 2019 European Tour Players’ Player of the Year, after a spectacular campaign which included two Rolex Series titles, another victory on home soil and culminated in him being crowned the Race to Dubai Champion.

The 25-year-old claimed his second Dubai Duty Free Irish Open title at Lahinch Golf Club last July, before successfully defending his title at the Mutuactivos Open de España in October.

His third victory of the season, and his second victory at the season-ending DP World Championship, Dubai, made it a record four Rolex Series titles and earned him the title of European Tour Number One – the first Spaniard to do so since the late, great Ballesteros in 1991.

Ahead of the WGC-Mexico Championship, the 2018 Seve Ballesteros Award winner Francesco Molinari presented Rahm with the trophy – voted for by all Members of the European Tour.

Previous winners of the Seve Ballesteros Award given to the European Tour Players’ Player of the Year are: Padraig Harrington (2008), Lee Westwood (2009), Martin Kaymer (2010), Rory McIlroy (2011, 2014 and 2015), Luke Donald (2012), Henrik Stenson (2013, 2016), Tommy Fleetwood (2017) and Francesco Molinari (2018).

Jon Rahm said: “It’s unique to win this award. I talk a lot about the history of the game and the history of Spanish golf and with how much Seve means to all of us. To win an award that is recognition from all of your peers but also with Seve’s name on it, is very special.

“To be selected on as Player of the Year by the European Tour players is a huge accomplishment but being related to Seve’s legacy in any kind of way is an honour to all Spanish players and I’m glad to hold this trophy, have it home at some point and say I’m a Seve Ballesteros Award winner.

“To join a list with the many others who have won it is a special feeling, hard to explain, but very humbling.”

Francesco Molinari said: “Jon’s year was amazing last year, but I think from the moment he got on the professional scene he just hit the ground running and has never looked back. Obviously last year, winning the Race to Dubai and Rolex Series events was amazing and so impressive.

“He’s still very young and has many years ahead of him and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is World Number One soon or battling with Rory. I know he has a chance this week, but I think that is a duel that we’ll see going on much longer than this week.

“It was right up there in my achievements to win this award last year. Obviously it came on the back of winning the Race to Dubai and obviously you get picked by your mates and colleagues, and it carries the name of Seve who probably is the most influential European golfer ever.

“It was great to get my name written on that plate and that is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, said: “Jon is a tremendous talent and he enjoyed a terrific 2019 season on the European Tour. This award, voted for by his peers, is further recognition of that.

“After Jon joined Seve Ballesteros as the only other Spaniard to become the European Tour’s Number One player, it is fitting that he now receives this prestigious award named in Seve’s honour.”

DP World Tour, Golf Companies

Callaway Golf – The golf brand becomes official partner of the European Tour

January 17, 2019 – The European Tour has announced today Callaway Golf as an Official Partner for the next five years.

Within this wide-reaching agreement across the family of Callaway owned brands, Callaway becomes the official driver, golf ball, shoe and golf bag brand of the European Tour; Odyssey and OGIO become the official putter and luggage brands respectively; and Callaway Apparel, plus the ‘new to Europe’ Travis Mathew brand, will be the official on-course apparel of the European Tour.

As well as Official Partner status, Callaway will also supply its market-leading Chrome Soft Golf Balls to driving ranges at European Tour events. Callaway will also drive awareness of Odyssey, the number one putter in golf, through a ‘putting leaderboard’ on TV broadcasts, which will showcase a new range of performance statistics at each European Tour event.

As part of the Official Partnership, Callaway will collaborate with the European Tour’s digital channels to create new content strands featuring the Callaway brands, products and their Staff Professionals.

Established in 1982 by the late Ely Callaway, the brand has a rich heritage of investing in European golf, and boasts major-winning Staff Professionals at the pinnacle of the sport, including Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett.

The Official Partnership begins at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA – the first of eight Rolex Series events in the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Neil Howie, President & Managing Director of Callaway Golf Europe, said: “Securing this important leadership position with such a forward-thinking and committed organisation as the European Tour aligns perfectly with our own business goals of making the game more enjoyable and accessible through market-leading innovation and superior product performance.

“Callaway continues to enjoy a very strong and loyal following among players on the European Tour, Odyssey has been the number one brand for more than ten years and Rogue Drivers were the number one model in play across 2018, and we are excited about the impact of our recently launched Epic Flash family. We also look forward to the many tournament, broadcast and content opportunities that this new partnership will bring.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to have Callaway on board as an Official Partner for the next five years. It is really exciting to form a new relationship with a brand dedicated to producing not only high-performance golf products but also delivering unique and engaging content to golfers across the globe.”

At the picture Neil Howie, President and Managing Director, Callaway Golf EMEA and Keith Pelley, Chief Executive, European Tour confirm Callaway as Official Partner to the European Tour for five years.

DP World Tour

European Tour – Launch of The Rolex Series and new Access List to reward all members

November 16, 2016 – The European Tour has officially announce the Rolex Series, an exciting new alliance of leading tournaments which will strengthen the golf schedule from the 2017 season onwards.

The innovative concept — launched today with the European Tour’s longest standing partner, Rolex — is one of the most significant advancements in the Tour’s 44 years and will enhance both the competitive and entertainment experience for members and fans around the world.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to unveil the Rolex Series today and we are committed to developing and building on it over the coming years.

“The Rolex Series will celebrate the highest quality of golf and the international spirit of the game; values that Rolex and the European Tour strengthen with this announcement. We are tremendously proud to have Rolex as our partner in this exciting new venture and we thank them for their continued support.”

Today’s announcement deepens the historic bond between Rolex and the European Tour, which has seen the Swiss company be the proud partner and Official Timekeeper of the Tour since 1997.

Rolex Director of Communication & Image, Arnaud Boetsch, said: “It is with great enthusiasm that Rolex will reinforce its longstanding partnership with the European Tour by supporting the Rolex Series, an innovative advancement in professional European golf. 

“Rolex has enjoyed a unique alliance with golf for over fifty years and this is the most recent development of Rolex’s enduring commitment to the game.

“Across junior, amateur and elite levels, Rolex is devoted to golf’s development worldwide, and we look forward to being a part of the flourishing future of The European Tour.”

In 2017, the Rolex Series will feature a minimum of seven tournaments in seven iconic golfing locations across the world, all offering minimum prize funds of US$ 7 million, with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai featuring a prize fund of US$ 8 million. Plans are in place to increase the number of Rolex Series tournaments in future seasons as part of the multi-year commitment made to the European Tour by the world’s leading Swiss watchmaker.

As the scope of the European Tour expands around the world, golf fans will be brought closer than ever to the leading professionals on the world’s best courses thanks to significantly enhanced television and digital production as well as increased hours of coverage distributed worldwide.

The 2017 Rolex Series will begin in May with the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in England and will be followed by two tournaments in July: the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation at Portstewart; and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Dundonald.

The fourth tournament of the Rolex Series next year will be the Italian Open at the Olgiata Golf Club in Rome in October while the final three Rolex Series events will be in November, comprised of the Turkish Airlines Open at Regnum Carya Golf and Spa Resort; the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City in South Africa; and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Keith-Pelley-y-jugadores-anuncio-Rolex-Series

New Access List to reward all European Tour members

In other way European Tour members, including those who have graduated from the Challenge Tour and Qualifying School, will now have a greater chance of retaining their European Tour cards for the 2018 season through a newly-established Access List which will run throughout 2017.

The Access List will run concurrently with the Race to Dubai but will exclude money earned at the most lucrative tournaments of the European Tour season – the seven Rolex Series events, the Masters and US PGA Championship and the four World Golf Championships. Money earned at The Open and US Open Championships will be included as all members have an equal opportunity to pre-qualify for those tournaments.

The top ten on the Access List at the end of the season, not otherwise exempt from the final Race to Dubai, will then retain their cards for the following season. Consequently, the number of players retaining full membership from the Race to Dubai will be reduced from 110 to 100, with the Access List players being given a category immediately below the top 100 category.

The top performing players on the Access List will also be given the chance to compete against the world’s best players in the Rolex Series, with three spots in the fields of the BMW PGA Championship, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation and the Italian Open, available to the top three players in the Access List at the time.

Keith Pelley said: “We have consistently said that looking after the interests of all our members, whatever their ranking, is a high priority for us and the establishment of the Access List is an important part of that commitment.”

Majors, Olympic Games

Olympic Games – The Olympic golf winners will receive Majors exemptions

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April 6, 2016 – Gold medallists in the Olympic Games will receive a one-year exemption into golf’s Major championships.

The men’s champion in 2016 Rio will be exempt into the Masters, US Open, Open Championship and US PGA Championship in 2017, while the women’s exemption begins with the 2016 Evian Championship and includes the ANA Inspiration, Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open and Women’s British Open in 2017.

The Masters chairman, Billy Payne, told a press conference at Augusta National: “We believe our game’s visibility will be dramatically elevated by the global platform that only the Olympics offer.”

“New audiences from all over the world, some for the very first time ever, will be exposed to our great sport and come to know and appreciate the amazing athletes and heroes in golf. From this greater visibility, we believe, will evolve greater participation in our game, and it will be a certain beneficiary.”

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Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “The European Tour has a history of helping develop the game throughout the world and providing a platform for players from all countries to cultivate their careers, which is why we were fully supportive of the return of golf to the Olympics. It was a momentous decision for our sport and, therefore, to mark it in this fashion is entirely appropriate.”

“We congratulate the Major Championship bodies in both the men’s and women’s games on creating such an eligibility category, a move which will add further glory for those players lucky enough to win gold in Rio de Janeiro in August.”

Picture: European Tour.