We Wanted To Be On ‘The Right Side Of History' - DP World Tour Chairman

David Williams wanted to be on 'the right side of history' amid reports of DP World Tour partnering with LIV Golf

David Williams
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ross Kilvington
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Outgoing European Tour Group chairman David Williams says he "wanted to be on the right side of history" regarding the future of the DP World Tour when explaining the decision to form a strategic alliance with the PGA Tour as opposed to LIV Golf.

The DP World Tour was reportedly mulling over a potential partnership with LIV Golf Investments, the organisation backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and the pioneers of the LIV Golf Invitational Series that started back in June.

Williams admitted to the the Scotsman that the DP World Tour "had a choice" between partnering with LIV or the PGA Tour. “We took a very hard economic look at an alternative and the phrase that we use is that we decided that we wanted to be on ‘the right side of history’," he told the Scotsman's Martin Dempster.

“The relationship with the PGA Tour has turned out to be a very positive one and a very strong one and there’s no sense of it being a case of the PGA Tour taking us over. The PGA Tour has global ambitions and we have an ability to operate globally, which actually they may not have to the same extent as we operate as a world tour.

“As a result, I think it is two great organisations coming together. There are things we can bring and things they can bring. Clearly, they bring a lot of financial muscle and that helps with the world we live in today.

"I am absolutely in no doubts about it - they are great partners. It’s built on personal relationships; it’s built on a business case. We had a choice. We went left while others went right, and I’m glad that we went left.”

The strategic alliance has been somewhat controversial since being confirmed, with some claiming that it has reduced the DP World Tour to a 'feeder tour' for the PGA Tour after the announcement of 10 PGA Tour cards being awarded to the top-10 finishers on the DP World Tour rankings and the fact that big names will be committing more time to the PGA Tour's new elevated events. Keith Pelley strongly denied the feeder tour claims at the BMW PGA Championship in September, with the true benefits of the alliance set to be seen in the 2024 schedule.

David Williams' stint as chairman ends in January and it could well be the decision to form an alliance with the PGA Tour that shapes his legacy.

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Ross Kilvington
Ross Kilvington
Contributor

Ross Kilvington is a freelance writer from Scotland who has had his work published by acclaimed publications such as Nutmeg alongside popular online blogs including the Gentleman Ultra, North Section and Engrossed in Football. Ross holds a passionate interest in golf and tries to play as often as possible, although having two daughters under the age of four means his quest to break 80 will have to wait a little bit longer. He writes about golf in his spare time, most recently having an article published in the Golf Memories anthology Mind the Links, which was released in July with all proceeds going towards Alzheimer charities. With a handicap that floats between 13-14, highlights are few and far between on the golf course, with an eagle on the par 4 16th at Kinghorn one that stands out (it doesn’t matter that it was only 290 yards!).

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