In what must have been a tough decision, Paul McGinley has announced he is stepping down as a member of European Tour Board, citing a conflict of interest given his high-profile role with SKY Sports Golf.
McGinley, 56, is one of the best analysts in golf and his decision is understandable, and at a time as men’s professional golf faces continued unprecedented conflict and controversy.
The emergence of LIV Golf and more recently, the announced Strategic Alliance between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour has hardly won respect from players and fans alike, especially on the European side of The Pond.
Paul McGinley working in his role with SKY Sports but that he says is in conflict with his position on the European Tour Board of Directors
McGinley has always been wise with his comments and the writtern media particulary, turns increasing to him seeking straight-forward views that he so often provides, and rarely declines.a
McGinley took to social media, and used two Tweets, to explain his decision to step down from his position.
Firstly saying: “Clearing things up as many seem to want to read more into it – I did not renew my contract as a DPWT Board member for 2 reasons,” McGinley wrote on Twitter.
“1. Personal circumstances and 2. As transparency is so important to me I did not like being accused of being in conflict with my media roles.”
And the second tweet voiced his continued support for European Tour CEO Keith Pelley and the board he is leaving, and also his support for the ‘challenges ahead’.
“I stand by all the big decisions made over the last few years and have full faith in KP, his team and the Board going forward to continue making logical decisions that best position the DPWT for the challenges ahead”, McGinley said in his Tweet.
McGinley was appointed as a member of the European Tour board of directors in 2016, two years after leading Europe to a stunning Ryder Cup triumph at Gleneagles.
While moving to the Legends Tour at the start of 2017, his under-50s career was capped by four main European Tour wins, and none better than the 2005 season-ending Volvo Masters.
However, it has been on the media side of the competition ropes where McGinley has excelled, first in 2011 in leading GB & I to success at the Seve Trophy, and then for all the sports world to admire three years later in the Scottish Highlands.
It is expected McGinley, and despite this announcement, will retain his position on the five-man Ryder Cup captaincy selection panel given he will still have till next year sitting on the panel that will choose the 2025 European Team captain.
end
