Golf: Rory McIlroy Reacts To New Player Travel Emissions Tracker

Player travel is the cause of over one third of DP World Tour event’s total greenhouse gas emissions. In response to this, the European Tour group has launched a player travel emissions tracker. This will enable its golfers to track, calculate and offset their travel-related greenhouse gas emissions across tournaments.

Elite golfers are aware of the environmental impact of their travel, with Rory McIlroy saying, “we have the opportunity to travel all over the world doing the job we love, but I do have a conscience about the impact that can have on the environment.”

McIlroy, who has reportedly been offsetting his tournament travel-related greenhouse gas emissions for four years ahead of this launch, added “I think we can all play our part in some way or another.”

Experts say offsetting isn’t a substitution for decarbonisation. In the current touring model, travel is an unavoidable part of the game for professional golfers.

The European Tour group are “doubling down on efforts to help mitigate these emissions” says head of sustainability, Maria Grandinetti-Milton. In addition to the player travel tracker, and a fan travel emissions tracker launched earlier this year, the group uses onset investments to drive awareness, supports carbon reduction across the sport as a whole and at individual events, through local community-based ecosystem restoration projects.

Other golfers have reacted to the launch of the player travel emissions tracker. Winner of the 2021 Spanish Open, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, says he has become more aware of his environmental impact and says “I will join the Tour’s initiative, because I think it’s the right thing to do.” He thinks athletes have the power to drive positive change for the environment, “we are many of the younger generation’s role-models, so you always want to lead by example.”

PGA TOUR and DP World Tour winner Dylan Frittelli added, “if the public see that, maybe they will follow along too with their travel.” He went on, “we’re being seen by people, so if we can put in little bits of information to help the environment and masses of people see that, it can only help.”