Keith Waters to Retire from the European Tour Group
Seoul, Korea - Keith Waters, a pillar of the European Tour Group and its longest-serving executive, will retire this July, marking the end of a remarkable 47-year saga in both playing and administrative roles within golf's elite circles. Waters, who is 67, will conclude his distinguished tenure following the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
His career has been notably diverse, handling the Tour's commercial relationships with a spectrum of promoters, federations, venues, and sponsors, and playing a key role in player relations and the drafting of rules and regulations. Since joining the European Tour Group in December 1995, Waters has been a seminal figure in the expansion and evolution of the tour.
Beginning his tenure as a player, Waters enjoyed nearly 17 seasons on the greens alongside legends like Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, and Bernhard Langer. His transition to administration saw him take on the role of Director of International Policy before elevating to Chief Operating Officer in 2007. Just last year, Waters shifted to a part-time advisory role as Chief Regulatory Officer & Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Technical Committee Representative.
Reflecting on his dual-phase career, Waters expressed his gratitude, saying, “I feel extremely fortunate to have had such a wonderful life in such a great sport. I was then fortunate to have another great career working for the Tour, particularly at a time when we expanded outside of Europe. It was a privilege to help the Tour become truly global and establish our long-standing relationships around the world.”
Guy Kinnings, the European Tour Group’s CEO, highlighted Waters’ indispensable contribution: “Keith has made an enormous contribution to the success and the evolution of the European Tour Group. He has truly dedicated his career and working life to the Tour, and no-one is more experienced, and indeed no-one is more knowledgeable about Tour matters, than Keith. He is universally respected by players, partners, and colleagues.”
As he steps down, Waters leaves behind a legacy of dedication and significant influence in the world of golf, cherished and celebrated by all those who had the pleasure of his company and expertise. The Tour and the sport at large are undoubtedly richer for his contributions.