Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, John Rahm: Even the greatest PGA golfers didn’t know that there would be an announcement Tuesday surrounding the surprise merger of their tour and the LIV that would explode in the world of little white ball.
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“I knew there was an open channel of communication,” McIlroy commented in a press conference at the Canadian Open on Wednesday. But I got the news pretty much at the same time as everyone else.”
According to ESPN, some players aren’t happy about being left in the dark. Some of them have vigorously defended their place on the public course over the past year, while also incidentally criticizing golfers who have chosen the LIV.
The latter will be funded in the large billions by the Saudi Arabian Investment Fund, the PIF, which will become one of the main sponsors of the PGA. Internationally, Saudi Arabia is held responsible in particular for its handling of human rights.
Woods was also offered a contract of between $700 million and $800 million to join the new golf club, but the 15 major title golfer turned down the invitation.
“It’s disappointing to be a member of the PGA,” Britain’s Callum Tarren told Golf Channel. For people who have remained loyal to the PGA, it’s like a slap in the face. rory [McIlroy] defended the PGA, and now it seems his effort, the fact that he stayed on the tour, means all of that is worth nothing.
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The commissioner contradicts himself
Others have targeted PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan directly. The latter has long said the two competing entities would never join forces as they have been embroiled in numerous lawsuits in court for two years up to Tuesday.
Photo: AFP
Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA.
In October, Phil Mickelson, who joined the LIV after being offered $200 million, proposed the merger of the two circles, ESPN recalls. By that time, Monahan had dismissed the proposal outright.
“I believe that words and deeds are important,” replied the commissioner. I believe it’s impossible. some players [de la LIV] sued the PGA, her employer sued the PGA. It’s not in the plans. I think we were pretty consistent there.”
“Can he speak out of both corners of his mouth more?” PGA golfer Scott Stallings asked for his commissioner. It’s hard for me to say that about him, but you don’t have to search the web to find conflicting comments from him.
A golfer calls him a ‘hypocrite’
It also appears that the golfers were not kind to Monahan when they met him Tuesday, in the hours following the announcement. The circle members were angry, and one of them called the commissioner “a hypocrite.”
“I recognize everything I’ve said in the past,” the Big Boss told reporters. I know people will call me a hypocrite. [Mais] When I say something, I do it with the information I have at the time. […] I accept criticism, but circumstances have changed. We have to look at the global context.”
ESPN also reported that each tour since August has spent tens of millions of dollars on attorneys defending lawsuits brought by LIV and 11 of its players against the PGA.
The PGA responded and filed a lawsuit accusing LIV of interfering in contracts with its players.