Keith Pelley blasts critics: "How many times did Rory McIlroy play last year?!"
Keith Pelley has slammed critics, suggesting there is a 'lazy narrative'.
DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has highlighted Rory McIlroy's playing schedule as he hit back at critics suggesting the former Old World circuit is in a significantly weaker position given their ties to the PGA Tour in the face of LIV Golf.
Pelley has come under a barrage of criticism from the keyboard warriors and even his own members since the emergence of the rival tour led by Greg Norman last June.
The DP World Tour's heavily debated 'strategic alliance' with the PGA pre-dates the arrival of the Saudi-backed league, but in the very same month LIV Golf launched the former European Tour decided to strengthen their ties with the established, North American circuit.
Was this a mistake? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
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A 13-year operational joint venture partnership was unveiled, running through to 2035. The previous deal was announced in November 2020.
The joint venture saw the PGA Tour increase their stake in European Tour Productions from 15 per cent to 40 per cent.
Amongst other things, there was a commitment to annually increase prize funds.
In the fine print there was a clear pathway for DP World Tour players to earn PGA Tour playing rights as the leading 10 players at the end-of-season Race to Dubai Rankings will earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.
LIV Golf players such as Lee Westwood have highlighted this, appearing to believe it's unwise for the circuit to essentially give their best players away.
But Pelley? He believes they are just formalizing a pathway that already existed.
He recently joined the bunkered podcast where he chatted to Michael McEwan about what has transpired over the last 12 months.
Pelley will feel emboldened given their recent triumph as Sports Resolutions UK determined the circuit was right to impose sanctions on the players who played in the opening LIV event without permission.
Those players are free to return if they pay their fines, but going forward it seems unlikely those players will ever feature again given their schedule.
Pelley told the podcast:
Of the leading players earning PGA Tour cards, he added:
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Pelley and the host discussed what being in a strong position looked like.
Then he added:
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