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A16 sports
Wednesday 10 august 2022

Monahan underestimated only the loyalty of players

By DOUG FERGUSON player for taking Saudi money con-
AP Golf Writer trolled by a repressive regime with
On different occasions in golf's an abominable record on human
summer of discontent, Tiger Woods rights?
and Rory McIlroy delivered key Monahan should no longer be
messages that illustrate what PGA surprised by anyone who pledges
Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan support one week and leaves the
got wrong. next week.
McIlroy was asked at the U.S. Open That was the case with Brooks Ko-
if he had lost respect for players in epka in June. He was at a Rolex
their prime years who were taking function on Monday of the U.S.
guaranteed cash from Saudi-fund- Open, rallying the troops to speak
ed LIV Golf, with its 54-hole events loudly and clearly for the PGA Tour.
and 48-man fields, no cut and not Then he had an offer he couldn't
much of an audience. ignore and was gone a week later.
"I don't understand for the guys that That was the case with Bryson De-
are a similar age to me going be- Chambeau when he wrote in Feb-
cause I would like to believe that ruary, "I want to make it very clear
my best days are still ahead of me, that as long as the best players
and I think theirs are, too," McIlroy PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan speaks during a news conference before in the world are playing the PGA
said. "So that's where it feels like the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands, on June 22, Tour, so will I." It would be interest-
you're taking the easy way out." 2022, in Cromwell, Conn. ing to know his definition of "best"
At the British Open a month later, Associated Press since LIV Golf has only one player
Woods left little doubt where he to 1994 and largely responsible for Nothing motivates like money, and — Dustin Johnson — from the top
stood on players who had defect- the model that led to the PGA Tour golf wasn't immune. Players who 20 in the world ranking.
ed to the rival league run by Greg becoming the ultimate destination say they were attracted to the The PGA Tour's postseason starts
Norman. "I disagree with it," Woods in golf. team concept of LIV Golf either this week, but not before a federal
said. "I think what they've done is "You don't build loyalty and appre- never played in a Ryder Cup or re- judge decides whether to allow
they've turned their back on what ciation into a model like we built for alized they had played for the last three defectors to compete in the
has allowed them to get to this po- the tour," Beman said. "That's up to time. Players made choices and FedEx Cup playoffs. The fall portion
sition." Monahan didn't underes- the integrity of the individual and those should be respected. And of the new season will include two
timate the threat of Saudi money the appreciation of what's been they were, until the inevitable law- events in California — one a tour-
or the damage it could inflict on a done for them." suit filed last week that demands nament in Napa, another the initial
tour that hasn't been challenged Monahan leaned on the phrase the right to eat fruit from every tree case management conference for
for 50 years. Otherwise, he wouldn't "legacy, not leverage," a clever in the garden. the antitrust lawsuit.
have bothered with an 898-word play on words after Phil Mickelson Norman speaks of finally bring- Beman was asked by Golfweek
memo in January 2020 warning had been exposed in a series of ing free agency to golf, leaving if he could see anything positive
players they would have to pick published comments in February out the part about players signing coming from this disruption.
one league or the other, even con- that his main interest in the Saudi- contracts with LIV Golf that require "Not that I see," he said. "Maybe
templating changes to the PGA backed league was to get lever- them to play certain events. demasking the integrity of some
Tour's regulations if necessary. age for changes on the PGA Tour The Saudi threat under any name individuals. Their real stripes are
What he underestimated was the he felt were long overdue. was real and there wasn't much showing. Some of the people who
loyalty of his players. But it's not about legacy, either. It's Monahan could have done to have benefited enormously from
Too many are willing to take the not about history. stop it, not with that much money what the tour has put together are
easy way out. And it's not about the bluster of from the Public Investment Fund at fully disclosing their integrity."
Too many are turning their backs playing less for more. Why else Norman's disposal. More players are likely to follow af-
on the very tour that made them would 10 players — Carlos Ortiz has Imagine if Monahan had listened ter the FedEx Cup. Rumors are fly-
worth watching, all because of asked that his name be removed and struck a deal years ago, be- ing, and those can't be trusted, ei-
financial offers that turned their from the lawsuit, according to his fore Norman got involved and ther. Words have never been more
heads. manager — take the money and turned this into a vendetta. Would hollow.
Deane Beman said as much in an run to federal court in California to the PGA Tour not have risked the Monahan should know by now
interview with Golfweek magazine. file an antitrust lawsuit against the wrath of a large chunk of its fan that a game built on integrity only
He was the commissioner from 1974 PGA Tour? base that now criticizes every applies inside the ropes.q