Robert Garrigus has issued an impassioned defence of the PGA Tour's rank-and-file members, claiming he could still "whoop anybody's a**" on any given week.
The statement comes amidst growing tensions between the Tour's top stars and the rank-and-file players, with a growing fear that any merger with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will see more money siphoned off to the game's biggest players.
However, Garrigus - World No. 1557, has come to the defence of his fellow lower-ranked members, suggesting all of them are capable of winning on the Tour and should be given an increased voice moving forward.
"There are 200 or so people on the PGA Tour. You get to see 10-15 per cent of the guys, and you hear some good stories from the guys who are saying 'this guy is playing well this week; he hasn't played well forever and ever'," the American said on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
"I could win a PGA TOUR event next week and that means I'm still relevant"We hear a lot about the top percent of PGA TOUR players...but what about the other guys? Robert Garrigus dropped by today to talk about that and more.Take a listen!@JasonSobelTAN | @ESPNCaddie pic.twitter.com/imRkCnczT6December 14, 2023
"But any given week, I could whoop anybody's a**, period. I'm 46 years old and on my way out of the game but I could win a PGA Tour event next week and that means I'm still relevant.
"That means that every single one of those guys that has a voice that has made $5million in their career could win next week. It may not happen because we don't get as many chances but it still can happen."
Garrigus' statement comes just days after 20 players wrote to the PGA Tour demanding to know the full details of any proposal made by potential investors after they raised concerns about the direction the Tour is heading in.
"We also demand a meeting with the independent directors on the Policy Board to understand the process that has been followed and will be followed going forward," the letter continued.
"Importantly, we seek assurances that all conflicts of interest will be disclosed and will not be permitted to colour the decision-making process. The PGA Tour players who have been kept in the dark about this process are the lifeblood of the tour. They deserve to know what is happening.”
But while Garrigus did not necessarily agree with the legal route taken by these 20 players, the 46-year-old says it's a clear sign that many players on Tour feel their voices and concerns are not being heeded.
"The fact that all of us have been sitting on the sidelines and we kind of have been for a very long time just because of how the Tour is run is very concerning because there is no voice from the lower half of the membership," Garrigus added.
"And they are more than the top players - there are more of the lower guys than there are of the top guys in the world. So, it's warranted that we want a voice.
"Going about it with a letter from a lawyer is a bit bush league in my opinion because it's not going to matter regardless of what we say but the fact that we have to go about it that way is the problem."
