The European Tour is looking for a new CEO after GEORGE O'GRADY confirmed that "he is stepping down from the role," according to Mark Cue of the LONDON TIMES. O'Grady believes that "the time is right after almost a decade in the role" with Europe sealing a fifth victory over the U.S. in six Ryder Cup matches at Gleneagles in September and enough “green shoots of recovery” emerging across Europe’s tour. The timing of the announcement, which had been expected to coincide with the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai later this month, "has been brought forward amid mounting speculation over O’Grady’s future." O’Grady said, "In the aftermath of what I believe to have been the best presented Ryder Cup since my first involvement in the contest at Royal Lytham in 1977, I felt this was the right time to ask the board to begin the search for my successor." O’Grady, who has spent more than 40 years with the European Tour in a variety of capacities, "will become president of international relations." His new role "will mean that he represents the European Tour when golf returns to the Olympics at Rio 2016" (LONDON TIMES, 11/5). GOLF WEEK's Alistair Tait opined O’Grady’s replacement as CEO of the European Tour "needs to succeed where O’Grady failed." The new CEO "needs to find a way to get Europe’s biggest stars to play more in its traditional heartlands of Continental Europe and the United Kingdom." O’Grady "can look back on his 10 years in office with much satisfaction." However, O’Grady "has singularly failed to provide more big money tournaments in Europe and the United Kingdom." Most of Europe’s top stars "now call the PGA Tour home, and make only occasional forays home to fulfil the requirements of membership." He has also "presided over schedules that rely more on co-sanctioned events with other tours." O’Grady has not done a very good job on the European Seniors Tour, "which has seen its schedule dwindle in recent years." The main challenge of the new CEO is simple: "Acquire blue chip sponsors to attract Europe’s top stars back to Europe" (GOLF WEEK, 11/5).
