VIRGINIA WATER, England -- The executive who led the extraordinary growth of the English Premier League is joining a new Ryder Cup committee aimed at enhancing the commercial value of golf's biggest team event.

Richard Scudamore was chief executive, then executive chairman of the Premier League from 1999 until last year. Under his tenure, the TV rights to broadcast matches in the UK alone rose from 670 million pounds to 5.1 billion pounds per three-year cycle.

Scudamore is part of a six-man committee that also includes former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley and Ian Ritchie, the former chief executive of the English Rugby Football Union and the All England Club at Wimbledon.

The European Tour says the committee is tasked with "exploring opportunities to grow revenues and profits from the 2022 Ryder Cup in Italy and beyond" and will work closely with the PGA of America.