Adam Scott applauds Tiger Woods for joining player board
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Adam Scott of Australia is one of two players that have made every FedExCup play-offs since it began in 2007.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Stressing the need to have the desires of all PGA Tour players heard, veteran Adam Scott said he is ecstatic that Tiger Woods will be involved in making that process happen.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Woods is now part of the board that will help steer the direction of the PGA Tour,
With the 15-time Major winner’s addition, players now outnumber independent board members by six to five.
As a player-director, Woods has the authority to approve or decline any potential changes to the PGA Tour.
“I applaud Tiger for volunteering to go up on the board,” the Australian said on Wednesday ahead of this week’s Wyndham Championship, which is the final event before the FedExCup play-offs.
“I think it’s fantastic for the tour moving forward, and I think he also kind of has earned the right to have an opinion about how the tour looks moving forward, to be honest.”
On Monday, a number of the PGA Tour’s members sent a letter to Jay Monahan, the tour’s commissioner, asking for changes to PGA Tour operations, driven by the body’s decision to join forces with the DP World Tour and LIV Golf
In a statement the next day, Monahan said the PGA Tour and its members agreed to a number of conditions to make it a player-first organisation. Among the agreements were the addition of Woods to the board.
And Scott, 43, said he thinks it is a fine move.
“I think it’s just to get that balance right,” added the Australian, who has 14 PGA Tour victories and was also the 2013 Masters champion.
“This is a players’ organisation and off the back of some of the events this year and maybe in years past, it had felt like maybe that voice wasn’t heard enough.
“I think the players have generally tried to get a bit organised recently and act responsible as members of this tour and get that balance right going forward.”
Scott certainly has more to worry about. Sitting 81st in the FedExCup standings, he needs to make up 11 spots this week to advance to the St Jude Championship, the opening round of the play-offs, at TPC Southwind in Memphis next week.
He is one of two players who have made every FedExCup play-offs since it began in 2007, the other being American Matt Kuchar, who is 59th in the standings.
But the cause of the PGA Tour players remains on the forefront of his mind anyway.
“I certainly don’t think the players want to be running the tour, that’s for sure. We need a lot of help with that,” Scott said. “But I think getting that balance right so that the membership is heard accurately is kind of what this is.”
Although he jumped ship to LIV Golf, fellow veteran Phil Mickelson was also still happy to see Woods join the PGA Tour’s policy board.
“This is great to see,” the American tweeted on Tuesday. “Players having equal representation on the board, Tiger getting more involved, and accountability across the board. Awesome news.”
Mickelson, 53, joined LIV Golf in June 2022. He was a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, including six Major championships.
Mickelson has yet to win on the LIV Golf circuit. In his most recent event, he finished tied for 40th at the LIV Golf Invitational London at the Centurion Club. He is currently readying for LIV Golf Greenbrier, which begins on Friday in West Virginia. REUTERS
