Rory McIlroy has resigned from the PGA Tour’s Policy Board.
McIlroy’s shock decision was revealed in a memo to the tour’s players issued by commissioner Jay Monahan, who thanked the Northern Irish golfer ‘for his dedication and commitment to the tour’.
In June, an agreement was struck between the main US and European tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which saw the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV golf come together.
McIlroy was publicly against the Saudi Arabia funded breakaway LIV tour and was deemed as a PGA Tour loyalist.
McIlroy announced that he felt like “a sacrificial lamb” after the merger.
McIlroy, commented, “No one on the outside has any details. Loose lips sink ships, so we are trying to keep it tight and within walls. I’m sure when there’s news to tell, it will be told.”
Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA Tour, added, “Rory’s resignation letter, which he sent to the full board, clearly stated that the difficult decision was made due to professional and personal commitments.
“During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the tour, and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinions has been especially impactful.
“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all his fellow player directors – have invested in this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”
McIlroy had served on the tour’s Player Advisory Council between 2019 and 2021, acting as Chairman for the final year of that spell. He then became a player director on the board.
Master champion Jon Rahm said “absolutely no chance” in response to him succeeding McIlroy’s position on the board.
Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold left the club.
Arnold, 52, replaced Ed Woodward at the Red Devils most senior executive in February 2022.
His departure comes as Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group prepares to finalise its purchase of a 25% stake in the Premier League giants.
Arnold first joined United in August 2007 and acted as the club’s managing director from 2013 until he replaced Woodward.
Last summer Arnold oversaw the appointment of current manager Erik ten Hag, who delivered the club’s first trophy in six years by winning the Carabao Cup in his debut season.
London-based marketing agency The Romans has been appointed as the retained PR agency for global electric motorsport championship Formula E.
The agency will be responsible for all of Formula E’s consumer communications efforts, with a remit that includes always-on press office activity and race day media handling, as well as creative campaigns and activations.
Dan Humphreys, Vice President of Communications at Formula E, said, “Bold progressive thinking is woven into our brand DNA, so we were looking for an agency who could reflect this in their creative ideas and approach to driving headlines for the championship year-round. The Romans not only demonstrated the industry and media expertise we needed, but, crucially, the cultural know-how and on the pulse thinking needed to cut through an increasingly crowded sporting media landscape.
“Our upcoming tenth season is our most exciting yet and we are looking forward to partnering with The Romans team on some brilliant creative work which is sure to put Formula E centre stage.”
GB Taekwondo has appointed sports PR agency MatchFit as its retained agency.
MatchFit will handle creative communications for the national governing body at the start of a 12-month period which includes the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Paris.
As part of the new relationship, MatchFit is also leading a review of GB Taekwondo’s visual brand identity, as well as evolving the organisation’s social media strategy and execution.
Paul Buxton, Chief Executive Officer of GB Taekwondo, said, “We are delighted to have appointed MatchFit as our PR agency at what is a hugely exciting time for GB Taekwondo as we look ahead to next summer. Throughout the process we were impressed by MatchFit’s earned media expertise and deep understanding of sport and culture, both of which makes them the perfect partners to tell our story. We’re already thoroughly enjoying working with MatchFit, who will help give our brilliant athletes and sport the platform it deserves.”
Donald Parish, Co-Founder of MatchFit, added, “We are extremely proud to begin working with GB Taekwondo at such an exciting time for the sport. At MatchFit, we want everyone to love sport as much as we do, and there is no better showcase to reach new audiences than the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Now fully immersed in the world of taekwondo, we have already been blown away by the incredible athletes within the elite performance pathway and their inspirational back-stories. We can’t wait to tell these stories in the lead-up to Paris 2024, alongside a reinvigorated social media strategy and visual identity to help GB Taekwondo resonate with its next generation of stars.”
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