The PGA Tour has announced a historic deal that will see the Strategic Sports Group invest around $3bn. However, that has led to uncertainty over where it leaves the DP World Tour.
Soon after the news broke, though, outgoing DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley sent a letter to its members addressing the news, where he attempted to answer questions over what it means for the Tour.
While the investment will come as a big boost to the PGA Tour, there’s no involvement from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, at least for the time being, and that leaves doubts over whether the fractures at the top of the game can truly heal given its financial backing of LIV Golf.
Despite that uncertainty, Pelley began by stating that the deal “provides the opportunity for unity.” He then explained that the DP World Tour is still involved in discussions over the future of the game, with the hope that the deal will provide the impetus for all parties to come together.
Keith Pelley has sent the following memo to DP World Tour players outlining what the PGA Tour’s deal with SSG means for its members. Basically, it’s a lot of fluff to say “negotiations are on-going”. pic.twitter.com/1950iJ8cMpJanuary 31, 2024
He wrote: “Negotiations involving ourselves, the PGA Tour and the PIF are still on-going, and I believe this announcement gives continued momentum to those discussions as well as being an important step to possible overall alignments between all four entities, SSG included.”
Several key figures in the game have spoken of the possibility of introducing a global tour in recent weeks, including Rory McIlroy, while Pelley has also had his say, commenting in early January: "I think the growth of the game is global. That's where the focus needs to be."
In his letter to members, he reiterated the importance of that outlook in light of the SSG investment, saying the “global focus” of the SSG is “crucial to the forward momentum of the game and it is important that this latest entrant into our sport has this as a part of their thinking.”
He also confirmed that the Strategic Alliance with the PGA Tour, which includes the commitment to award 10 PGA Tour cards to the best-performing DP World Tour players at the end of each season, remains in place.
Earlier, DP World Tour players including Robert MacIntyre, Pablo Larrazabal and Richard Mansell expressed their views over the investment announcement on X, with Mansell asking, "where do we stand in all of this?"
No doubt more questions will emerge, particularly as long as any investment from the PIF, which has been talking to both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, remains subject to “all necessary regulatory approval.” However, Pelley will hope that his communication with DP World Tour members at least alleviates many concerns while talks between officials at the top of the game continue.
