REVEALED: PGA Tour golfers ‘call on chief Jay Monahan to resign’ at ‘controversial’ players meeting after keeping McIlroy, Woods and Co. in the dark for seven weeks following shock LIV merger
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan found his job threatened during a meeting with players following news of the shock merger with LIV Golf.
In a shocking move, the PGA Tour has flip-flopped on its stance on the Saudi-backed series, revealing it and the DP World Tour have reached an agreement with LIV to combine their businesses into a new, yet to be announced one. . named company.
Monahan revealed at a press conference that the merger had been in the works for seven weeks, according to Dan Rapaport, but the PGA Tour stars were left in the dark, forced to find out in real time on social media.
PGA loyalists were infuriated by the move, with many reportedly turning on the commissioner at a “controversial” players’ meeting at Oakdale Golf and Country Club ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.
Speaking to Golf Channel, Johnson Wagner revealed the room burst into a standing ovation when they called for new Tour management.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was called upon to step down at a players’ meeting on Tuesday
He added that there was “a lot of anger” in the room and that “90%” of the players gathered had a negative reaction towards the deal and Monahan.
Goeff Ogilvy added that some players called the commissioner a “hypocrite” during the encounter, but Monahan “took it”.
Speaking after the meeting, Monahan said he understood his actions would be viewed as hypocritical by some.
“I recognize everything I’ve said in the past in my past positions. I recognize that people are going to call me a hypocrite,” he said. “Every time I’ve said something, I said it with the information I had at the time.”
Ogilvy also suggested the Tour was forced to announce the news on Tuesday ahead of an official announcement to players because it needed to be disclosed.
Tuesday’s merger comes a year after LIV Golf’s first event and ends its legal battle with the PGA.
As the PGA was accused of violating antitrust laws by banning LIV players from its tour, golf’s preeminent tour thwarted its Saudi-backed rivals, accusing the team of interfering with its deals.
Players who defected to LIV Golf were banned from PGA events, but continued to play in major tournaments. For example, LIV Golf’s Koepka won the PGA Championship last month.
The PGA-LIV merger was a complete surprise, both outside and inside the sport.
Only a year ago at the Canadian Open, Monahan attacked LIV Golf by asking his players, rhetorically, “Have you ever had to apologize for being a PGA Tour member?”
Even PGA players, who had loyally supported the Tour rather than taking the Saudi’s millions, were taken aback by the news.
“Shocked and confused,” said an unidentified golfer Dan Rapaport Bar Stool.
“Disgusted,” said another. “They didn’t tell us anything.
“Nothing like finding out via Twitter that we are merging with a tour we said we would never do this with,” read a tweet from golfer Mackenzie Hughes.
And when asked if Norman was aware of the deal, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan told CNBC: “I made the call just before that.” [interview].’
Among several issues, Saudi Arabia has come under attack for its treatment of women, gay people and corporal punishment. Last year, the kingdom executed nearly 200 people (compared to 18 in the United States).
In addition, in 2018, Saudi Arabia drew the ire of the United States with the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi was invited to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was murdered and dismembered.
Victims of the 9/11 terror attack have also torn apart the PGA’s decision to merge with LIV Golf, while denouncing Saudi Arabia’s role in the tragedy.
