European Tour pro "I don't think the Premier Golf League will happen"

Former European Ryder Cup golfer Stephen Gallacher believes a proposed breakaway Premier Golf League will not happen due to the potential threat of lifelong player bans on both the PGA Tour and European Tour.

Gallacher, a four-time European Tour winner, made his comments known in an interview with The Scotsman earlier this week. 

"I don't think it will happen," said Gallacher, who finished tied 21st at the Saudi International last week. 

"I don't our Tour [European Tour] or the PGA Tour will allow it to happen, especially with the stance they have taken by saying a player will be barred for life if they did play on it if it were to happen. 

"It wasn't in my email from the European Tour, but I hear that's what the message was from the PGA Tour. 

"I don't see why we wouldn't take that stance either. I think it would be stupid for anyone to try to compete against the two established Tours. It just seems a bit unnecessary to me.

"We've got two good Tours, we've got WGCs and guys are already getting to play on both Tours. I don't see why there is a problem with that."

As for Greg Norman's comments claiming the Premier Golf League has "more legs" now than when he planned something similar 25 years ago, even if Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were not involved in it, Gallacher was in complete disagreement. 

"It has to have the top 40-odd guys," said Gallacher.

"If you don’t get them, it just doesn’t work. It would be like Formula 3000 wanting to get to Formula One. It’s the Formula One guys they are going for here. If Lewis Hamilton and these guys don’t want in, then it can’t work,

"When Greg Norman came up with the same plan, you had Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and all those guys knocking it back and the top guys don’t seem to be fancying it this time around, either."

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan outlined his Tour had not been in contact with officials from the Premier Golf League, and that the proposed world golf tour would be going against the Tour's lucrative season-long FedEx Cup.

"The schedule for the Team Golf Concept [Premier Golf League] is designed to directly compete and conflict with the PGA Tour’s FedExCup schedule, and to not conflict with [and would be in addition to] the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship," read Monahan's statement. 

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It also stated: "If the Team Golf Concept or another iteration of this structure becomes a reality in 2022 or at any time before or after, our members will have to decide whether they want to continue to be a member of the PGA Tour or play on a new series.

"We understand that Team Golf Concept is focused on securing player commitments first as they have no sponsorship or media offerings or right."

Henrik Stenson, who plays on both the PGA Tour and European Tour, outlined what was said in European Tour CEO Keith Pelley's recent email to players.

"Without going into details, you could kind of sense or feel that the two Tours might have talked to each other," said Stenson.

As for the European Tour's stance on players contemplating a world golf tour revolution, he replied: "Probably more towards stamping down than not." 

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