Exclusive DP Tour chief Pelley confirms Saudis made approach for European Tour

DP World Tour chief Keith Pelley has revealed the steps LIV Golf Investments made to invest in or take hold of the European Tour in an exclusive interview with RTÉ Sport, where he also talks about the new partnership with PGA colleagues.

The European tour announced their new 13-year agreement yesterday, building on an initial relationship.

The Genesis Scottish Open will be co-sanctioned between the bodies, while there will be mutual access to events in a number of arrangements to benefit the established tours ahead of the threat LIV brings.

Pelley also confirmed the status of the Irish Open as a DP World Tour event will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.

Speaking on LIV, which holds its second event this week in Portland, he said: "What happened in 2021. We viewed an unsolicited presentation in Malta from P54, which is the marketing agent of Golf Saudi.

"In September I took that presentation out of courtesy to the board, and it was never an official written offer. It was a presentation where the financials were less appealing than the financials we were offered by Rain Capital in the PGL some nine months ago.

"From then on we focused on our partners and the PGA and had no dialogue with LIV," he told Greg Allen.

Recruitment of some of the world's best golfers by the LIV Series has put pressure on the established tours to respond, both by punishing the 'rebels' and making their own competitions a more attractive prospect for those who have remained loyal.

"It's been frustrating not being able to speak (about our PGA agreement). I couldn’t speak freely and have clarity on where we were going and what our future was until it was completed.

"That future now is to change our strategic alliance to a joint operational