The announcement on 6 June last year that the PGA Tour was merging with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) behind LIV Golf sent shockwaves through the game, with commissioner Jay Monahan firmly in the firing line.
Part of the reason was that the news blindsided almost everyone, including PGA Tour players, and the backlash Monahan faced was almost immediate, with calls for him to resign at a meeting before the RBC Canadian Open later that week.
Despite the initial anger, Monahan remains in his role, and, in an exclusive interview with Golfweek’s Adam Schupak, Webb Simpson, who is on PGA Tour’s Policy Board, has revealed that Monahan has admitted his mistakes.
The 2012 US Open champion said: “He’s totally owned the kind of debacle of communication with June 6. He’s totally apologized. He genuinely wants what is best for the players, and he’s been as transparent as he possibly can be.”
As well as the secrecy around the deal to bring the PGA Tour and PIF round the table, there have been plenty of questions over what it means for the direction of the game. However, according to Simpson, Monahan had little choice but to engage with the cash-rich group.
He continued: “I think he saw the threat not going anywhere and knew that something needed to be done, and even though he had said what he said the year before about the Saudis and their regime or their country, however you want to say it, I think he’s like, I’m forced to do this. Like we’re in this position where we have to do it to save the Tour really.”
Certainly, the changes made by the PGA Tour while it attempted to stave off the LIV Golf threat have been far-reaching, with hugely increased prize money at its biggest events raising concerns over its sustainability, with Simpson also admitting in the interview that “the model is broken” as sponsors begin walking away from the Tour.
Negotiations over the framework agreement between the parties are ongoing, while the PGA Tour has also attracted the Strategic Sports Group, which Simpson believes will help convince sponsors to stay on board.
He also admitted that, despite the deadline for the conclusion of negotiations being put back to April, Monahan is dedicated to getting the best possible deal for the Tour. “He’s working hard,” he revealed. “He’s at the point where he’s like, ‘look, I want to get this deal done. I want it to be really good. That’s all I’m focused on.’ He’s working hard. He’s texting me this week. He’s up in New York working on it.”
