Daniel Van Otterdijk, Group Chief Communications Officer at DP World, isn't a fan of penalising golfers for joining LIV Golf but remains optimistic that a deal to resolve the sport’s current divisions will be reached within the next six months.
Despite announcing a framework agreement last June, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), backers of the LIV Golf League, have yet to finalise a deal to unify the game.
While talks continue between the three organisations, fans and players are growing increasingly frustrated by the drawn-out negotiations.
Just a few weeks ago, two-time DP World Tour Championship winner Matt Fitzpatrick voiced his frustration, saying, "I think in terms of bringing the game together this week, I'm past the point of caring. I just don't care."
This sentiment is becoming more common, but Van Otterdijk, who confirmed DP World has no direct role in the negotiations, remains confident that an agreement can be reached within the next six months.
“If you take the sort of media nonsense and the perceived politics out of it, if you look at all three bodies, the PGA Tour, which is now very much supported by the Fenway Sports Group, LIV Golf, which is supported by the PIF, and the DP World Tour, which is supported by us, they are all entities that love golf – no doubt about it,” Van Otterdijk told Gulf News at the DP World Tour Play-Offs launch event at Expo City this week.
“His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan (Governor of PIF) is probably one of the biggest golf fans in the world. So, everyone has the right intention. And when you have parties who disagree on the way forward, but everybody has the right intention, inevitably they come together and solve it.
“We’re confident that within the next six months they’ll come up with a structure that befits world golf in a much better way than what we currently have. But, of course, there are legacy issues to sort out.”
Golf to follow cricket model
It remains unclear what any potential agreement might involve, though many players have shared their thoughts on the future of golf.
Ahead of the Dubai Invitational earlier this year, Rory McIlroy expressed that a World Tour is his "dream scenario," later explaining that the top 80 players globally would compete in a “Champions League” style tour, which would “sit above the rest of the leagues.”
Meanwhile, Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter told Gulf News in February that he’s “sick of listening to people’s rubbish” about a proposed World Tour.
Van Otterdijk, however, envisions the future of golf following a slightly different path, drawing comparisons to cricket’s model, where star players compete in various leagues and franchises worldwide.
“The way that it will go, as far as we can see, if you look at cricket as a model, cricketers these days can play in franchise leagues around the world – the IPL, the Big Bash – whatever it is,” said Van Otterdijk.
“It's kind of like a smorgasbord of cricket they can play in. The top players, like Joe Root, Kane Williamson, or Virat Kohli, will say, ‘Look, I'm in my 30s, I've made X amount of money, I'm now going to play the elite tournaments.’
“They make a schedule based on their fitness and all the rest of it. They're playing those tournaments and making their money. But they’re governed by a variety of different bodies – a very powerful body, the BCCI, the MCC, and then you've got Cricket Australia, Cricket New Zealand, and so on.
“They've all got their own governorships, if you like, and yet they work harmoniously together through the ICC in creating a schedule where there's— I wouldn't say there's none, but there's limited overlap between all the franchise tournaments that get played. Golf will head the same way.
“I can see an end-to-end calendar from January to December, where there's a prominent place for the PGA Tour, a prominent place for LIV Golf, and a prominent place for the DP World Tour, but there will be overlaps.
“A guy like Tommy (Fleetwood) can say, ‘Look, I want to keep my PGA Tour card, I want to play on the DP World Tour, but I'd like to play some LIV Golf events as well.’
“I think LIV Golf will combine their current team structure – that will probably drop, but they'll still have team events.
“All players go through a period where they may struggle, that's inevitable. If you're struggling and you're looking for confidence, there is no better way to find that than by participating in a team event, where your teammates can actually oomph you up a bit and get you going.
“You often see that form gets turned around during the Presidents Cup or the Ryder Cup, where players suddenly find form they didn't even know they had.
“If it's done right, and we think it will be, you could see this fantastic buffet of golf throughout the year in different places around the world, and one or two different formats that we aren’t used to seeing, such as team events.
“All of those events would see the players earn points that would secure them a spot at the season-ending events on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour – that still needs to be worked out.
“But I'm confident that there will be an end-to-end calendar with about 60 tournaments, with players looking to play around 25 in order to gather all the points they need if they play well.
“If they don't play so well, they can add some events throughout the year, and then at the end of the year, you tally up the points and they are where they are.
“I think that will be great for the sport.”
'As a fan, you miss a Bryson DeChambeau'
When the framework agreement was announced last year, shocking the sporting world, the three organisations committed to working “cooperatively” and in “good faith” to establish a fair and objective process for players wishing to reapply for membership with the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.
Sixteen months later, LIV Golf players are still barred from competing on the PGA Tour, while LIV golfers who remain members of the DP World Tour continue to face fines and suspensions from the Wentworth-based circuit each time they play in the Saudi-backed league.
This has resulted in players like Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm, and Adrian Meronk playing a limited schedule in Europe, as they’ve had to serve bans at various events throughout the year.
Although Rahm and Hatton have recently returned after serving their bans and appealing the fines, Otterdijk isn’t a fan of seeing golfers miss out on tournaments due to politics.
“Ultimately, what you want is to see the best players playing the best tournaments,” said Van Otterdijk.
“As a fan, you miss a Bryson DeChambeau, a Jon Rahm, a Patrick Reed – you do miss those guys.
“Whether you like the format of LIV Golf or not, it doesn't really matter. You want the best players in the best tournaments, whatever the tournaments are.
“I don't think anybody in golf wants to see this current political situation where players get penalised or can't play here, there, or whatever.
“All that is no good for the game and no good for fans. And do remember, these players get paid to play because fans come and watch them.
“If governing bodies prevent that from happening, then, you know, they've got to get their heads together and work something out that's better for the game of golf, better for players, and better for fans.
“I know that the people at the top want to do that, but they’ve got to work through the commercials and the schedule to make sure that it works for everybody.”
