Getty Image / Mike Ehrmann
The PGA Tour recently announced seismic changes to its schedule. Beginning in 2024, the PGA Tour‘s elevated events will take on a LIV Golf-style format with enormous prize pools (minimum of $20 million) and no 36-hole cut.
The comparisons to LIV Golf were immediate. However, PGA Tour and European Tour golfers who aren’t eligible for the elevated events *will* be able to qualify for the elevated events so it’s not a closed-off tour like LIV.
There are, however, valid criticisms of the new PGA Tour changes. Tour veteran James Hahn shared his concerns with the new tour changes over the weekend and ‘got smoke’ from ‘golf writers, bloggers, and podcasters’ according to him.
James Hahn is a 2-time winner on the PGA Tour (346 total events). And at 41 years young, his career is beginning to wind down according to him.
Hahn shared this tweet below with thoughts on the changes along with quotes to Adam Schupak:
Twitter / James Hahn
To GolfWeek‘s Adam Schupak, James Hahn said “I hate them. I’m gonna say exactly what 99.99 percent of fans said about players leaving for the LIV tour. If our players just said, ‘We’re doing this for the money,’ I would have a lot more respect for them. But how they’re covering up what they’re doing and trying to make it a thing about sponsors and fans and saving opposite-field events. I think that’s all BS.”
Those are the quotes that got the golf world up in arms. And on Monday morning ahead of the Players, golf’s unofficial 5th Major Championship, James Hahn had more to say on Twitter:
twitter / James Hann
Hahn called the ‘amount of smoke’ he’s getting from golf media ‘disgusting.’ The 2-time PGA Tour winner went on to say he’s ‘trying to leave this game better for those that follow behind.’
James Hahn says his only aspiration for the Players Championship is finishing the event as he battles through a lingering neck injury.
He finished his statement by saying ‘peace and love everyone,’ a clear message to all of the people up in arms about his statement on the PGA Tour changes that mirror LIV Golf events.
For what it’s worth, he has no reason to lie. He is giving an honest opinion about how he believes the new PGA Tour changes won’t be good for the future of the tour. Hahn has earned over $13 million on the PGA Tour and could retire today as a wealthy man.