Getty Image
Things are getting ugly between PGA tour players and commissioner Jay Monahan.
On Tuesday morning, CNBC reported that the PGA Tour would merge with the Saudi LIV golf league in a move that sent shockwaves in the golf world.
The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with LIV Golf in a deal that would see the competitors squash pending litigation and move forward as a larger golf enterprise. https://t.co/bSvvRv9Uzu pic.twitter.com/iZUUOIKQog
— CNBC (@CNBC) June 6, 2023
Via CNBC
The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf in a deal that would see the competitors squash pending litigation and move forward as a larger golf enterprise.
The two entities signed an agreement that would combine the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s commercial businesses and rights into a new, yet-to-be-named for-profit company. The agreement includes DP World Tour, also known as the European PGA Tour.
LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, an entity controlled by the Saudi crown prince and has been embroiled in antitrust lawsuits with the PGA Tour in the last year. The deal announced Tuesday would end all pending litigation.
Players were reportedly not happy about the merger according to multiple reporters.
Initial feedback is that the TOUR players are *not happy*.
They turned down cash, changed their own schedule, stuck their necks out against LIV for two years and now they are finding out about a merge in real-time on Twitter.
— Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) June 6, 2023
Monahan met with several players at RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale country club on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Golf Channel’s Johnson Wagner, the meeting reportedly got heated as several players asked for Monahan’s resignation.
On Golf Channel, Johnson Wagner says players meeting with Jay Monahan was contentious, multiple players called for commissioner's resignation.
— Kyle Koster (@KyleKoster) June 6, 2023
Johnson Wagner estimated the negative/positive split to be 90/10 in the player meeting.
Including a “standing ovation” when the room called for new TOUR leadership.
— Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) June 6, 2023
🚨😤 JUST IN: Johnson Wagner who attended the players meeting with Jay Monahan says players are furious: "There was a lot of anger in that room from players." + "Players were calling for resignation."
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) June 6, 2023