Players raise trust issues with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan
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Jordan Spieth feels there should have been more players and board members involved in the merger deal.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – Three-time Major champion Jordan Spieth believes the lack of communication in the decision-making process of the shock union between warring factions has affected PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan’s credibility.
On June 6, the golfing world was stunned when the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival LIV circuit, who have been involved in a bitter fight that split the sport, announced an agreement to merge and form one unified commercial entity.
Monahan was on leave within days of announcing the framework of the deal with Saudi’s Public Investment Fund, which backed LIV. He is set to return to work on Monday, leaving Spieth to comment that the 53-year-old is returning to trust issues and more.
“It’s a member-run organisation with a voluntary board that’s supposed to look out for the interests of the PGA Tour players on the board. I don’t believe that these decisions had to be made without involving players on the board and other board members,” said the 29-year-old American on Wednesday at the Scottish Open.
“Just based on conversations I’ve had with players (trust issues exist), and I think he realises that. I’m sure he’s preparing for a plan to try and build it back.”
His compatriot Xander Schauffele admitted his level of trust in Monahan has also dropped.
“If you want to call it one of the rockier times on Tour... the guy was supposed to be there for us, wasn’t,” said Schauffele, ranked No. 6 in the world.
“Obviously he had some health issues. I’m glad that he said he’s feeling much better. But yeah, I’d say he has a lot of tough questions to answer in his return, and yeah, I don’t trust people easily.
“He had my trust. And he has a lot less of it now. I don’t stand alone when I say that.”
Spieth has served as a player director on the PGA Tour board in the past. Based on the upheaval in the sport, he is just fine playing the role of vested observer.
“You talk to a lot of other players, it’s been quite a shock from the get-go,” Spieth said of navigating uncertainty around the future of the Tour with little information about the planned merger.
“I wouldn’t say that there’s enough details to be able to really comment much on any concerns.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler said he watched PGA Tour officials’ testimonies during a United States Senate hearing on Tuesday along with fellow players, but “didn’t learn anything”.
“As a player on Tour, we still don’t really have a lot of clarity as to what’s going on and that’s a bit worrisome,” Scheffler said. “They keep saying it’s a player-run organisation – and we don’t really have the information that we need.”
But Spieth does expect more information and communication from Tour officials.
After watching and reading details of the Senate hearing, he was left with “not a great feeling” as officials described the overbearing threat of LIV poaching top players.
While he wants to know more, Spieth does not necessarily want more say in the solution.
He faced his own challenges as a board member during the Covid-19 pandemic, attempting to help the Tour navigate everything from roommate assignments to fan policies at events.
“That was enough time for me. I feel involved more than I was on the board before Covid, anyway. I can’t say that I’m jealous of not being on the board right now,” he said. REUTERS
