European Tour CEO George O'Grady Applauded For Keeping Circuit Stable

There are times when European Tour CEO George O'Grady "must feel like he is under siege," according to Ewan Murray of the London GUARDIAN. The reality is that the European Tour "has actually performed remarkably well in recent times." Its financial position "is the best it has been for decades," even before the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. In the past, "it is no exaggeration to claim that the arrival of that event bailed out the tour." O'Grady and his colleagues "have no control over economic circumstances in mainland Europe, which have decimated traditional tournament heartlands." Spain "will undoubtedly re-emerge as a key stop on the European Tour rota at some point," and a second tournament in England "may now be very close to confirmation." If the figures attached to the European Tour's highest-profile sponsorship deals were made public "people would appreciate the work undertaken by O'Grady and his colleagues" (GUARDIAN, 1/22).