Guy Kinnings Tops List To Replace George O'Grady?
/That's what Oliver Brown writes in the Telegraph.
Kinnings is the head of IMG golf's global division, has a law degree, surely knows where countless bodies are buried and is thought to top the list of the European Tour insiders to replace the retiring chief executive George O'Grady.
With his close connections to all the leading European players, Kinnings, who has worked at IMG for 20 years since his time as a lawyer at Freshfields, has been on the Tour’s radar for some time. He is believed to have recently turned down the opportunity to become chief executive of the R&A, after an approach to find a successor to Peter Dawson.
O'Grady reflected on the job, his tenure and where he feels he has left the tour. Sky Sports has the extensive quotes.
"Comparisons with the PGA Tour are a bit unfair in a sense - they have riches beyond ours and we've had to go and look for them over the world.
"They have four networks fighting to show the golf and a 24-hour golf channel, but Sky and other broadcasters have been tremendous partners for the European Tour."
Ewan Murray, featured this quote from Justin Rose on O'Grady:
“It is a shame that George is stepping down,” said Justin Rose, on the eve of the HSBC-WGC Champions tournament in Shanghai. “But I think he’s had a good reign, he’s had a lengthy reign, obviously, at the top. There’s no doubt there have been challenges. The economy and the markets in which the European Tour has been involved have been difficult, mainland Europe especially, so there’s been some challenges.
Martin Dempster on one of O'Grady's best legacies, the resurgence of the Scottish Open.
However, O’Grady shared the duo’s joy and enthusiasm about the event’s profile being raised another notch as Justin Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, triumphed in the Granite City in July and, likewise, echoed their excitement about it being held at Gullane next summer then, after a return to Inverness in 2016, heading to the West of Scotland the following year.
Together, the trio have been responsible for the Scottish Open going from strength to strength, with discussions having been opened in August to extend Aberdeen Asset Management’s title sponsorship by another three years until 2020.
According to Salmond, his pending departure will have no impact on that and O’Grady’s successor certainly won’t mind stepping into a job where a contract is in place for one of the Tour’s top events for another six years.
And confirmation of that extension came today, with Aberdeen Asset Management locked in through 2020.
The Scottish Government have pledged their support to the tune of £1 million per year through to 2020, while Aberdeen Asset Management will continue their title sponsorship of the tournament to the same date, both partners therefore adding three further years to their current contracts which run to 2017.
Under the new extension, the tournament prize fund will rise from £3 million in 2014 to £3.25 million for years 2015 and 2016; increasing to £3.5 million in 2017 and to a minimum of £4 million in 2018. The prize funds for 2019 and 2020 will be confirmed at a future date.
