European Tour Chief Responds To World Rankings Drama

Speaking to Nick Dougherty, European Tour CEO, Keith Pelley, covered an array of topics, with the Canadian clarifying the decision to change the Official World Golf Ranking System.

Many players have slammed the new system, including the likes of Jon Rahm, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, with a strength of field system being replaced with a system that "incorporates modern statistical techniques, which allows players and eligible tournaments to be more accurately evaluated relative to each other."

However, the system has come under fire, specifically, for this week's DP World Tour Championship. In Dubai, multiple players inside the World's top 25 feature, but the winner will only get around 21.8 points, last year it was around 46. Across the pond at the RSM Classic, no players in the World's top 25 are playing, but the winner will get 37 points, some 15 points more.

At the beginning of the week, 2019 Race to Dubai winner, Rahm, called the OWGR "laughable". This came while sat beside DP World Tour chief and one of eight OWGR committee members, Pelley.

Now, speaking at the season-ending tournament at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Pelley has explained that: "I think there was a long study with four independent research universities that did the study on the OWGR and they came to the conclusion, all four of them did, that the rankings didn't reflect the actual performance of the players worldwide."

He added that "as a result, we implemented a new system but, like with any new system, in regardless of what aspect of business you're in, you evaluate, you modify, you tweak and, at the next board meeting, we'll have those conversations."

As has been the case throughout 2022, there have been disagreements on an array of topics. Whether it is the rise of LIV Golf, or the OWGR situation, Pelley welcomes the players' input, with the 58-year-old stating: "Obviously, two of our top players - Rory (McIlroy) and Jon (Rahm) - had a difference of opinions on the OWGR Rankings this week and that's what makes our game so wonderful, for the last 50 years, that we have freedom of speech from our top players.

"I talked to both Rory and Jon and, although they have different opinions, we'll bring both those opinions to the board of the OWGR In our next meeting."

Another big talking point has been surrounding the Strategic Alliance between the DP World and PGA Tours which, again, hasn't been accepted by some players. However, Pelley has explained the situation, stating: "I think what you saw this year with the Genesis Scottish Open was just a little glimpse of what can happen with this.

"You know 14 of the best 15 players playing in the world and unbelievable crowds. I think the relationship with the PGA Tour has exceeded our expectations to date. Our relationship with them has allowed us to guarantee prize fund increases for the next five years and it's given us a chance to transform our schedule, which we will do."

One notable point though, is that Pelley sees "2023 as a transition year", adding "with the major changes happening in 2024, we will play less events in a smaller timescale for more purses and allow ourselves to take some of the capital that the PGA Tour have granted us and allow us to do more things and more exciting entertaining products like we're doing here at the DP World Tour Championship... I think the relationship with the PGA Tour and the the opportunities are really endless."

One of those possibilities involves elevated events, something that the PGA Tour has expanded for future seasons. Like their partners, the DP World Tour have had "a number of different conversations with the PGA Tour," with Pelley explaining that "we're certainly talking about how we raise our National Opens because they are the magic of our Tour. We're talking about that, but we're also talking about the elevated events and, like I said, you saw what can happen with Scotland and you see right now here in Dubai.

"The PGA Tour were here this week. Jay Monahan (PGA Tour Commissioner) is planning to be there in Abu Dhabi or Dubai early in the new year. So, like I said, I think the list of what we can do with the PGA Tour is endless, and the number of conversations that we're having about elevating events on both Tours is nonstop."