In the midst of the competition between the PGA and LIV for dominance in golf, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele hold quite different opinions about Jay Monahan’s management of the PGA Tour.
Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy disagree about Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner who is under fire.
The recent US PGA champion has talked with the breakaway series, but he has resisted the urge to move to LIV Golf. Although he has voiced his dissatisfaction with Monahan’s leadership during golf’s civil war, Schauffele has emphasized his dedication to the PGA Tour.
After initially attempting to curtail LIV’s influence on elite golf, Monahan was compelled to make a significant U-turn when the Saudi-backed tour attracted a number of well-known players and gained significant momentum as a result. A year ago, Monahan surprised the sports world by revealing that he and LIV backers had reached a framework agreement, opening the door for a possible merger.
Schauffele is still skeptical of the 54-year-old’sleadership,as he was one of the many elite players who questioned the shocking move at the time. “I think the thing that bothers me the most, more than anything else, is that we need a leader to guide us,” he remarked.
Although I have previously criticized Jay, the truth is that our commander in chief has never once defended the players as a whole, saying, ‘This is happening, this is where we’re going,’ and essentially shielding us. He didn’t confront the music in public, he didn’t make a stand when others left, or any of that.
“There were undoubtedly valid reasons for Monahan’s medical leave of absence, which he took shortly after the announcement, but historically, difficult circumstances call for a strong leader who can defuse tensions and boost morale. We do not currently have that.
Schauffele’s remarks are at odds with the public support McIlroy, who earlier this year insisted that Monahan was the “right man for the job” and whose initial disdain for LIV had drastically subsided. “You look at what Jay has done since he took over,” the Northern Irishman remarked. The media rights agreement, the COVID-19 guidance, and the strategic partnership with the DP World Tour.
The establishment of PGA TOUR Enterprises, in my opinion, since we were recently able to take in $1 billion and a half in revenue. People can pick and choose what he did or didn’t do, but if you take a step back and consider the big picture, I believe the PGA TOUR is in a much better place now than it was when Jay took over.
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