DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley has admitted he respects Jon Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf despite previous disputes between the two tours.

Rahm became LIV’s biggest signing in December after the Masters champion signed a £450m deal with the leaders. The Spaniard’s suspension is a major loss for the PGA Tour and will almost certainly reduce his playing time on the Wentworth circuit.

Following the introduction of LIV in June 2022, the DP World Tour has decided not to ban switchers, but reserves the right to impose suspensions and reduced fines on those involved in non-chain events. . Lahm now remains a member of the DP World Tour and this week admitted at the Dubai Desert Classic that Pelley will step down in April. “John is a great champion and I respect the decisions he’s made for his family,” the general manager told reporters earlier this week. Pelley’s departure comes at a critical time in golf as the PGA Tour and DP World Tour continue to negotiate a peace deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The deal will end the conflict between the two tournaments and rivals LIV. In late December, the two sides extended negotiations until 2024, missing a New Year’s Eve deadline to finalize a deal. Pelley spoke about his departure last week, saying he was delaying his departure to reach a deal. This year’s Masters is expected to seal the deal. The 60-year-old said talks between the parties involved had intensified since the Ryder Cup last October. “I think we’ll have a tour by April. Yes it is. “I think so,” he added. “Like I said, I think the conversation has gotten faster since the Ryder Cup. We expected that.”

Pelley will return to his native Canada after taking on a similar role at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, overseeing the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC and Toronto Raptors, when he leaves this spring. He looks forward to continuing to grow the sport globally before he leaves the sport. “I think the growth of gaming is global, and I think that’s where we need to focus,” Pelley said. “I saw it in Dubai. You saw that leak at the Dubai Invitational. “I think it would be nice to see a game that incorporates global strategy,” he said.