PGA Tour players have called for the resignation of their Commissioner

The ‘white smoke’ may be for some, not all, after the announcement of the agreement reached on Tuesday by the traditional professional circuits, read PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly European Tour), and the Arab Super League (LIV Golf). And it was some PGA Tour players who faced the commissioner Jay Monahan and requested his resignation in a meeting held this Tuesday afternoon North American time on the occasion of Canadian Open taking place in Toronto.

Johnson Wagner, one-time PGA Tour winner, told the Golf Channel there was a lot of anger in the room after Monahan reached a merger deal with LIV Golf and the Saudi Public Investment Fund without first consulting the terms of the deal with The Players.

“It’s controversial and controversial,” Wagner said. “There were many moments where some players called for a new PGA Tour leadership and even got a few standing ovations. I think the most impactful moment was when a player quoted Commissioner Monahan at the 3M Open in Minnesota last year when he said: ‘While I’m commissioner of the PGA Tour, no player who has received money from LIV will ever play on the PGA Tour again.'” I think it goes back and forth.”

The veteran Australian champion of a US Open Geoff Ogilvy He told reporters that the meeting was not informative and that he felt the circuit rushed the announcement sooner than it would have liked.

“Monahan just explained the structure, how it’s going to be in the future. He didn’t really talk about the specifics. It was a tough meeting for both parties, I think Jay and all the players, because no one really knows how this will end. finally”.

Monahan, 53, is the fourth commissioner in PGA Tour history and has held the position since January 2017. Resignation or not, he won’t hold the position much longer.

With the Saudi Public Investment Fund making an equity investment in the new entity formed through the merger of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will be its Chairman and Monahan will be the CEO.

“The players were outraged, calling for his resignation, and Jay sat there and took it like a champ, really. He didn’t specifically answer a lot of questions about what LIV players will look like in 2024 season. his discretion… and a lot of players didn’t like that,” Wagner said.

Monahan, who appeared on CNBC TV with Al-Rumayyan in a joint interview Tuesday morning, spoke on the phone with prominent journalists who follow the circuit after meeting with the players in Canada.

“I recognize that people will call me a hypocrite,” Monahan said. “Every time I’ve said something, I’ve said it with the information I had at the time, and I’ve said it based on someone who is trying to fight for the interests of the PGA Tour and our players. I accept that criticism. But things change the circumstances. I think looking at the big picture and seeing it this way, that’s what led us to this deal.”

The ‘deal’ has been discussed for the past seven weeks, and the major players want it former world number 1 Tiger Woods and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, defending champion in Canadaand who supported Monahan and the PGA Tour while harshly criticizing LIV Golf, was not informed of the commissioner’s decision until the last minute.

“Obviously, I understand Tiger and Rory’s point of view very well, and they are part of my thinking in these conversations, and will be part of my thinking going forward,” Monahan said. “Now that we have a framework agreement, I’m looking forward to talking to all the players, including the two of them, to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

Woods and McIlroy have yet to comment publicly. McIlroy was scheduled to speak to reporters on Wednesday.