Ahead of the Senior Open sponsored by Rolex, Thomas Bjørn, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Paul McGinley were each named Honorary Lifetime Members of the DP World Tour.
Three legends of European golf were honoured for their contributions to the DP World Tour and the Ryder Cup during their illustrious careers.
Guy Kinnings, CEO of Dubai Worldwide Travel, presented the trio with Honorary Lifetime Membership Cards after the European Travel Group’s board of directors approved a recommendation to honour the trio.
They become the 60th, 61st and 62nd DP World Tour members to receive the honor, following DP World Tour founder John Jacobs, who was the first to receive the honor in 1978.
“Honorary Life Membership recognises those who have made a significant contribution to the Tour, both on and off the court,” said Kinnings. “These three players have given everything they have to the Tour and have shaped the Tour with their skills and personalities.
“They've given so much, whether it's through being on the committee, whether it's being on the board, whether it's through being players, vice-captains and captains in the Ryder Cup. All of that combined has made everybody realize that these three guys are such important figures in our tour.
“It's also very special that we can pay tribute to them together. I'm so happy for them.”
Bjorn is Denmark’s most successful golfer in history, winning 15 DP World Tour titles during his 30-year career and inspiring the current crop of Danish talent on the tour. He also had an outstanding career in the Ryder Cup, competing three times as a player in 1997, 2002 and 2014, and captained the European team in 2018 at the Golf National in France, defeating the United States 17 ½ – 10 ½.
The 53-year-old will also serve as vice-captain at Bethpage again next year – his sixth time as vice-captain of the European team – but he has also made a huge contribution to European golf off the course, having served as chairman of the European Tour Championships Committee from 2007 to 2016 and as a member of the board of directors since April 2020.
Bjorn said: “I think it shows your long-term dedication to the Tour. I was chairman of the Tour Commission for ten years and the Commission is the heart of the Tour in many ways. I have been a member of the Commission for almost 30 years so it is a huge honour and I think it shows that you have served the Tour and done the right thing, which is a huge respect.
“I think all three of us have contributed a lot to the tour as players, and we’ve contributed in a lot of ways as well. Paul and Miguel have both been on the tour committee, and Paul has also been a Ryder Cup captain and probably had a huge influence on the way we run the Ryder Cup.
“For all of us, we've contributed in different ways. It's a huge honor, but at the same time it makes you wonder where all the time went. It's funny, now all three of us are looking for other places to play golf and do other things, so this is probably the best time to look back and say we contributed.”
Spaniard Jimenez has become one of the most enduring and well-known players on the DP World Tour, with 722 appearances, second only to David Howell for the most appearances. The 21-time DP World Tour winner also holds the record for the oldest player to win a title on the European Tour, thanks to his most recent success at the 2014 Spanish Open – when he was 50 years and 133 days old.
Jimenez has won the Senior Open and played in four European Ryder Cups (1999, 2004, 2008 and 2010). He was vice-captain at Valderrama under Seve Ballesteros in 1997, at Medina under José Maria Olazabal in 2012 and at Gleneagles under Paul McGinley in 2014.
“Golf has given me everything in life and I'm proud to be a part of this world,” Jimenez said. “For me, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle.”
“I have played with many of the greatest names in golf over the years, many of whom have been awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in the past. It's great to be a part of that world, and now that I'm joining this group and being a part of that history, it's very special.”
Irishman McGinley is a four-time DP World Tour champion with 578 appearances. He also made significant contributions to Europe’s Ryder Cup teams during his career, including being part of three consecutive winning teams from 2002 to 2006 before leading Europe to a stunning 16 ½ – 11 ½ win at Gleneagles in 2014.
The 57-year-old, who has also served as vice-captain twice, was appointed strategic adviser to the European Ryder Cup team last month and has been a member of the Ryder Cup Committee since 2019. He also served on the European Tour board from 2016 to 2023.
“It's obviously a huge honor and I see it as a recognition not only of who I am as a player but also the work that I do behind the scenes,” McGinley said. “I've been a member of the tour, on the board and on the Players Council for 15 years.
“I am always part of the European Tour Group and I always have their interests at heart. Golf is facing challenges at the moment, but there are also many opportunities. I will keep this card in my wallet, it is a good thing to have.”
