By Fred Altvater
PGA Commissioner, Jay Monahan seems to be the guy that everyone points to as incompetent during the recent LIV/PGA Tour impasse. But is he really?
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), led by Yasir Al-Rumayyan wanted to become financially involved with the PGA Tour to help offset negative publicity and world perception surrounding human rights issues, seemingly condoned by the Saudi government. Funded by quarterly profits of $40 billion, from the government-owned Aramco Oil, the PIF has invested in sporting events around the world to improve its image.
When they wanted to put money into the PGA Tour, Commissioner Jay Monahan and the tour leadership told them, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
When the Saudi’s originally met with PGA Tour, most of the questions asked by the tour were about Saudi human rights violations and their answers were not satisfactory to the PGA Tour brass and attorneys.
The PIF wished to be supporting sponsor, not really take over, but be involved from a financial perspective.
For anyone this would be a very scary business arrangement. You know the old saying, “He who has the gold rules.” In this case if the PIF put billions of dollars into the PGA Tour, you know they most certainly would want some control over how that money was spent.
With visions of the falling twin towers and 9-11 still on everyone’s mind, PGA Tour officials did not see a partnership with the Saudi’s to be popular with golf fans. It could lead to negative press in this country and undermine the charitable efforts of the PGA Tour.
The Saudi’s decided to start their own professional golf tour, the LIV, led by Greg Norman and become direct competitors of the PGA Tour, in a fight to the death for control of professional golf.
Greg Norman was the perfect person to lead the new start up. He was still stinging from a rebuke, by the PGA Tour, when he tried to start a new World Tour back in the 1980’s. Norman took to his new role like a duck to water and with no financial limits began luring the top talent on the PGA Tour with millions of dollars in guarantees.
Phil Mickelson also became a pawn of the Saudi’s and helped Norman bring in more big names to the rival PIF. Other top names, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau joined Mickelson and jumped at the guaranteed money, leaving the PGA Tour.
When a problem arises in large corporations, someone has to be the fall guy. Jay Monahan inherited a major problem, when the LIV came calling. If you were the leader of one of the most successful businesses in the world and someone with substantial past human rights violations wanted to jump in bed with you, How would you react?
The PGA Tour had been on an endless string of successes dating back to 1968, when Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer led the split from the PGA of America and formed the PGA Tour. Deep-pocket Fortune 500 corporations were more than willing to sponsor tour events. Total purses for the tour continually grew annually, professionals had a full slate of tournaments in which to play and made millions.
Why fix something that isn’t broken? Unless someone with unlimited funds decides to make you a deal you can’t refuse.
Former PGA Tour Commissioners, Deane Beman and Tim Finchem successfully grew the PGA Tour, during their tenures. Monahan has been forced to deal first with the COVID pandemic and then with an invasion of not just another business takeover, but a foreign government’s deep pockets that is trying to destroy the PGA Tour.
He may not be doing things the way golf fans, media, or even some of the PGA Tour membership want, but Jay Monahan should be commended for the fact that there is still a PGA Tour. Plus, he appears to have created a plan that will assure a place for professional golfers to earn a living for the foreseeable future.
