European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady visited the headquarters of the Golf Channel in Orlando recently to mark the 20th anniversary of the network and to meet their Co-Founder, Joe Gibbs, and President, Mike McCarley.
O’Grady took the opportunity to present an engraved silver salver to McCarley and Gibbs as a gesture of appreciation of the strong relationship the two organisations have enjoyed over the past two decades.
O’Grady, who was joined by a number of Tour Executives on his visit to the Golf Channel premises, commented: “It was a great pleasure to present the silver salver to acknowledge the Golf Channel’s 20th birthday.
“We have been involved with the Golf Channel since its inception in 1995 and they have been an immensely strong partner for us in the United States, as we embark on the first season of a new ten year agreement to show European Tour golf on Golf Channel/NBC.”
O’Grady added: “It was a special pleasure to see Joe Gibbs at the Golf Channel function to celebrate the 20th anniversary. He and Arnold Palmer were the visionaries behind the concept of a golf-only TV channel and I still have fond memories of attending the launch of the channel along with my predecessor, Ken Schofield, back in January 1995.”
Gibbs said: “I am delighted to be back here and to see George and his colleagues again. I can remember clearly the early days in the growth of the Golf Channel when The European Tour was such as steadfast and robust partner, and that relationship has remained strong to this day.”
McCarley, in accepting the salver of behalf of the network, added: “Our relationship with The European Tour continues to grow. We are able to showcase the wonderful talent on The European Tour to an ever growing American audience and we look forward to the next ten years of this partnership with our friends at Wentworth.”
