The Dubai Desert Classic has lost its title sponsor, logistics company Slync, following the suspension of its former chair and chief executive, Chris Kirchner, according to a report in The Guardian.
Slync, which Kircher launched in 2017, began sponsoring the tournament earlier this year as part of a multi-year deal. However, in July it was reported that the American, who earlier this year saw a pursuit of Derby Country football club fall through, had been suspended with suggestions that staff had been unpaid. Before that, Kirchner had been a relatively high-profile figure in the game this year and even played with Rory McIlroy in this year’s Dubai Desert Classic pro-am before the Irishman missed out on his first win of 2022 in agonising fashion to Viktor Hovland.
A spokesperson for the DP World Tour said: “We have reached an agreement with Slync regarding the termination of their agreements with us for various DP World Tour assets, including the Dubai Desert Classic title sponsorship. The tournament will continue to be part of the Rolex Series and we look forward to the 2023 edition from January 26-29 at Emirates Golf Club.”
While losing the title sponsorship for a tournament that had an $8m prize purse will come as a blow to the DP World Tour, CEO Keith Pelley was bullish on the Tour's status before last week’s flagship BMW Championship, refuting claims it was becoming a feeder tour. He said: “If the metrics we’re determining the top tours in the world is just money, then the No.1 tour is the PGA Tour. Always has been. You could argue that the LIV Invitational Series is No.2. But the Asian Tour, 22.5million; Korn Ferry, 20million; Japan, 28million; Australia, 5.8; Sunshine Tour, 7.4: Totalling all their prize funds together comes to just half of our Tour. So even if the only metric is money, how possibly could we ever become No.5?”
Along with Slync's sponsorship of the tournament, which was announced a year ago, it was also added to the Rolex Series for the first time. In its 33 years the tournament has been won by some of the game's greats, including Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods and McIlroy. It is not yet known if another title sponsor will be sought for the tournament.
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