The DP World Tour would be subjected to a huge leadership change, as Keith Pelley is reported to be leaving the European circuit. The Canadian national will be joining Maple Leaf & Sports Entertainment. Pelley’s departure will mark the end of his nine-year tenure on the European circuit.

Pelley’s time as the CEO of the DP World Tour will always be remembered for the numerous changes that were brought about by the 60-year-old. The said changes radically impacted the circuit and the sport, and we have listed five of those many changes brought to the European Tour under the leadership of Keith Pelley.

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Changes brought by Keith Pelley on the DP World Tour 

1. Sold the naming rights of the Tour: The DP World Tour was known as the European Tour until 2021. In 2009, DP World, based in Dubai, became the official sponsor of Race to Dubai. After two years, in 2022, it was the title sponsor for the DP World Tour Championship. The name change was seen as “natural evolution” by Pelley.

2. The Seve Trophy’s end: The biennial team event for the golfers from Great Britain and Ireland fighting against each other was a creation of Seve Ballesteros. It ran from 2000 to 2013. The event was later stopped as fewer players could participate. However, the DP World Tour awarded the Seve Trophy to the player of the year to honor Ballesteros’s legacy.

Even though the team event was no longer on the DPWT calendar, many similarities could be seen between the Seve Trophy and the Hero Cup. The new event was introduced to the circuit in 2022. Upon the event’s introduction, it garnered criticism, and one of the naysayers happened to be Ballestero’s son.

DP World Tour’s decreasing OWGR points

3. Decreasing OWGR points for events: The DP World Tour amassing fewer points than the PGA Tour events has been a hot topic in the golf world. With Jon Rahm calling the OWGR “laughable” in 2022 to the public’s outrage over the top European players failing to get in the top 50 on the OWGR, the lack of points could be seen as a disastrous move for DPWT pros.

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Even with golfers from the top 20 in the field, the DP World Tour Championship acquires fewer points than the RSM Classic by the OWGR. So, the winner of the DPWT season-ending event barely advanced on the rankings, posing a threat to the European golfers.

4. Banning of European defected golfers: After the DPWT pros joined LIV Golf, the league banned certain players. It included the likes of iconic golfers such as Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood. Moreover, these veterans were not allowed to play or head the Ryder Cup team. The departure and subsequent bans on these players ultimately affected the DP World Tour events and its field.

5. Making it a feeder league: At last, after enduring much in the past years, the DP World Tour could be seen as the feeder Tour for the PGA Tour. Last season, the European League also awarded 10 PGA Tour cards to the players from the Race to Dubai rankings. While around 75 PGA Tour pros without PGAT membership were allowed in the DPWT. The drastic difference in the acceptance rate highlighted the fact that it was easier for a PGAT pro to enter the European circuit, but not as much for a DPWT golfer.

Were the judgments of Pelley resounding, or would they prove to be flawed for the future of the European Tour? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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