Rickie Fowler SHOCKED as "sweaty" Rory McIlroy turns up late to PGA Tour meeting

Rickie Fowler has revealed how last night's PGA Tour players meeting that included commissioner Jay Monahan was very poorly attended ahead of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and even Rory McIlroy (drenched in sweat!) only showed up a few minutes before the end. 

Golf writer Doug Ferguson confirmed only 25 players attended the meeting at this week's 70-man FedEx St Jude Championship, which saw Monahan offer very few details about the PGA Tour’s proposed partnership with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). 

News emerged just an hour before the start of the player meeting that a long-term PGA Tour officer had walked out of the circuit. 

Monahan was speaking to the players for the first time in-person since he took some time out of the job to focus on his health just days after announcing the partnership with LIV Golf's bankrollers. 

One PGA Tour player, Tom Hoge, told AP after what he heard in the meeting last night there is now a "very real possibility" that a merger between PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi PIF does not even get done. 

"There’s a lot of moving parts that have to come together for it," Hoge told AP. 

Related: Scheffler admits he hasn't got a clue what's going on at PGA Tour right now

Rory McIlroy confirms he will be playing 6 of the next 8 weeks culminating in the Ryder Cup

There will even be time for a quick bachelor party in Mykonos, too!

Perhaps to celebrate a 4th FedEx Cup?!

https://t.co/sZKXsQyzSf

— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) August 9, 2023

PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler said the question about what would happen if the merger between PGA Tour and the PIF never gets finalized was asked directly during Tuesday’s meeting.

Rickie told AP: 

Fowler then also confirmed the poor attendance of last night's PGA Tour player meeting, which saw Rory McIlroy, one of the six players on the policy board, turn up just a few minutes before the end due to having been in the gym.

McIlroy's shirt was "drenched in sweat" when he rocked up just before the end. 

Patrick Cantlay, another player on the board, didn't even bother to go at all. 

Ferguson wrote in his latest AP column: 

Tiger Woods joined the board last week but he was not there in attendance. 

McIlroy and Cantlay are the only two players on the PGA Tour's policy board that made it through to the first leg of the Playoffs this week. 

It all left Fowler a little lost for words. 

Fowler told AP: 

A number of PGA Tour stars are said to be "done" with Monahan, so perhaps that was the reason for a number of no-shows. 

Jon Rahm, however, is content with Monahan remaining in his position, at least for now. 

Just as long as Port-a-Pottys are installed at every hole on the PGA Tour. 

Oh, and his wife brings him sandwiches. 

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