PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has continued his feud with the controversial LIV Golf Series, labelling the eight-event series an exhibition, whilst sending out a fierce warning to those that have competed. The inaugural event of the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit was played out in St Albans last week, with world No. 117 Charl Schwartzel taking home the £3.8 million winning prize money.
After the event kicked off on Thursday, Monahan informed all PGA Tour members that headed to Centurion to compete - including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter - that they were suspended from the US-based circuit. Three days later the commissioner spoke once more at the Canadian Open and had another strong warning for the Saudi rebels.
Monahan joined presenter Jim Nantz as part of CBS’ coverage of the PGA Tour event north of the American border, and spoke openly about the saga that has rocked the world of golf.
When asked why players could not play both tours, Monahan said: “I guess I would answer the question by asking a question - ‘Why do they need us so badly? Those players have chosen to sign multi-year lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again.”
Warning Mickelson and co that those competing in the LIV Series can not ‘freeride’ the PGA Tour, he added: “In protecting our loyal members, we can't allow [LIV Golf] players to freeride off that.” Those that have signed up to the Saudi League have received criticism from all angles in the past week.
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In particular by a group called 911familiesunited.org, a coalition of families and survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks, who wrote a letter to those competing, accusing them of sportswashing and betraying their country. Addressing the letter, Monahan commented: “I think you'd have to be living under a rock to not know there are significant implications.
“Two families close to me lost loved ones [in the 9/11 attacks]. I would ask any player that has left, or any player that would ever consider leaving, have you ever had to apologise for being a member of the PGA Tour?”
Following the start of the LIV Golf Invitational event on Thursday, two further PGA Tour stars in Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed were also confirmed to have made the Saudi switch. The two major winners are expected to kick off their LIV Series at the end of this month, when the circuit heads to Portland, US.
