A little over two weeks ago The European Tour announced that, after almost a decade as Chief Executive and 40 years in total with The European Tour, George O’Grady had asked the board to begin the search for his successor.
Expanding on that announcement today at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, at the conclusion of the 2014 Race to Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates, O’Grady spoke of the privilege it has been to serve the game of golf for so long as he looked forward to the future.
“I feel this is the beginning of a new chapter in my life,” he said. “I'm certainly not leaving today. I've agreed with the Board of Directors to stay and help in the search for my successor. It could be people within the Tour or looking far and wide for someone who will lead the next chapter in development of The European Tour, especially as it is on such a global stage.
“This is a good time to be going onto the next chapter. We've just come off what I believe was the most successfully staged Ryder Cup in its history. We've had some pretty good ones, both in Wales, Ireland, Spain, and going back to The Belfry. But we were blessed with good weather, blessed with a tremendous match, wonderful support in Scotland by the First Minister and all his government agencies, building on the success from Ireland and Wales, and now The Ryder Cup is secure for the immediate future. We know we are going to be in four years' time in France; they are very committed and the bid process is underway for the other countries who might step up to the plate.
“The European Tour has weathered the recession. We are quite strong and have money in the bank for the first time in quite some time and can choose which way we want to go, and what we do with our Senior Tour, what we do with the Challenge Tour; we have got the building blocks with the Federations from Europe, the structure of golf in so many different countries. I cited one, Italy, which is so strong now with their youth programs. We have seen the crop of good, young Italian players, including a 17 year old who has just come in third four Qualifying School, Renato Paratore.
“There are so many big TV contracts in America and SKY in the UK and all the other broadcasters around the world which are in place now and strong for the next few years. We have big sponsors on side, with not just this tournament - this is the first of a four-year agreement, with a lot of different companies in Dubai. We are strong with China; we are strong with BMW; our Flagship event is strong, but even more so we are with governments - the Irish Government, north and south, Scottish Government, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and many other places around the world.
“I think we have been lucky in the growth period of this time on the advisors we've had. There's many different ones, and Johann Rupert I would cite at the top - our longest running sponsor on the Tour. When I've had problems of a global nature, he's been there for me. The First Minister of Scotland has been really powerful ally to develop Scottish business, and it's the same in Ireland. The European Federation Chairs who are leading the way, with the chairs of Spain and France in particular, who lent on Ken Schofield and myself to try and do our utmost to get golf into the Olympic Games.
“This was more impactful around the world than it possibly was in America. But the support and the letters of appreciation from the chairs of those federations and their delight that I will stay on and assist with the Olympic Games, is a great opportunity for me for which I'm very grateful.
“The relationship with governing bodies - the R&A, USGA, Augusta National, the PGA TOUR, and The PGA of America, have never been stronger. We have many more players are in all the majors now, as opposed to 2004. It's a very significant growth curve which shows the impact of European Tour professionals and their strength on the world stage and how they got there with the bodies in each country helping.
“You can see a lot of them here in this DP World Tour Championship, representing the Swedish Golf Federation, the Danish Golf Federation, the Italian Golf Federation, virtually all the bodies that we take National Opens to are here supporting their players, and that speaks volumes.
“European Tour players are charismatic and they are driven in their responsibilities. The European Tour responds to the culture of the country we're in, and never was that more important as it is today.
“The structure of the game is good with developing talent wherever we go; our charity giving has leapt ahead in the last ten years. Our own Benevolent Trust which supports so many people pays out over £300,000 a year and have over a million pounds in the bank.
“Outgoing politicians sometimes use this phrase, but I mean it. It's been a privilege to serve the game of golf in the various roles I have. I've used the phrase when I have spoken at Tour dinners in the past that we are all guests of The European Tour. Everybody who is allowed to work for it or report on it, who enriches the game of golf, every single one of us; I consider myself a guest of the Tour. And now with the Olympic role and a job to inspire, this is a new chapter.
“I would now finish by welcoming our chairman, David Williams. It's certainly the wish of our players and player representatives aboard that we go for an independent chairman skilled in business to shape the Tour, shape the Tour's board, shape the Tour's staff so that we are properly fit to face the future. There is a need for change, and I've instructed all our staff, and myself personally, to assist in this strategic review which is taking place now. I think they've found it's not quite as easy as certain other companies because of our relationships in so many parts of the world; but that will be supported and announced as soon as we can.
“We intend to build on what we have to take control of the future.”
David Williams, Chairman of the PGA European Tour Board of Directors, added his own personal words.
“In today's fast paced world, there are not many people who can say they have been well employed for 40 years. There are not many people who can say they have been CEO for nine years. George has just been through a list of the achievements that he's had and the European Tour has under his leadership.
“But George has been in the position for that long, and that gives him an intimate understanding of both The European Tour, but also golf on the wider world stage. He's been CEO over a period of time where European golf has flourished on the world stage, and he's done this without anything like the financial resources of one or two other tours I could name.
“The DP World Tour Championship, the final event of The Race to Dubai here at Jumeirah Golf Estates, is a very real example of George's personal drive, and his intervention here made a very big difference at a difficult time in the gulf. George remained loyal when others were leaving, and people don't forget that.
“A successful staging of The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles is perhaps the preeminent example of Europe's top players coming together with its administrators in a very, very powerful way, and there are so many more examples we could give.
“You know, George has a formidable contact list. We heard about a few of them just now, and it's a contact list in a sport where relationships still do matter. And that has helped us on the world stage; again, the IGF and the Olympics amongst others.
“And we really value our sponsors and our partner relationships, and George has always understood that. From the moment I arrived at the Tour that was made very clear to me. But it's not just sponsors and partners commercially, its sponsors and partners in government and in federations as George has described.
“So it's for this reason that we can plan for our future, knowing that we have the financial resources, and the strong balance sheet. And for those with long memories, you'll know it wasn't always like this. So it's clear to me, that in the future, and really, George, this is the key, really, when the book on The European Tour and its development is written, the George O'Grady name will be preeminent during a the time when he was CEO, and it will be seen as time where our members continued to play well on the world stage and The European Tour could look forward to a successful future.
“So on behalf of the membership of the Tournament Players' Committee, the Board of The European Tour, sponsors and friends, I'd like to publically thank George for what he's achieved. Put simply, we wouldn't be here without you, George.”
