Mark Darbon, chief executive of the R&A, golf’s governing body outside the US and organiser of the Open Championship, took up the role in late 2024 having never previously worked in the sport. A former executive at the London 2012 Olympic Games, adviser to the International Olympic Committee and chief executive of Premiership Rugby club Northampton Saints, he now sits at the helm of a sport that is booming in participation but grappling with questions over fragmentation, investment and the sustainability of prize money.
Those tensions have been sharpened by the emergence of LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed breakaway tour that has disrupted the men’s professional game, driven up prize money and intensified debate over the sport’s structure and long-term economics.
In conversation with Samuel Agini, the FT’s sports business reporter, Darbon discusses the balance between rewarding players and reinvesting in the game, the R&A’s reliance on the Open Championship for the bulk of its revenues, and how new formats and shifting capital flows are reshaping golf’s future.
Samuel Agini: What is it like being an outsider in a sport full of insiders?
Mark Darbon: I’d say I’m in learning mode. When you go into a new sport, you have to recognise you’ve got a lot to learn, and be comfortable asking the silly questions. But there’s benefit in coming in with a fresh perspective. I’ve worked in sport for a good chunk of my career, and I’ve moved sports two or three times. One thing that has struck me is the warm welcome I’ve had within golf, both at the R&A and among a global set of stakeholders. I’ve found the transition really interesting, and I do think that fresh perspective is helpful.
