PGA Tour boss gives predictably snippy response to LIV Golf question
PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan refused to engage questions about how peace talks with LIV Golf's backers are going before the John Deere Classic.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan refused to provide an update ov er how peace talks with LIV Golf's backers are going ahead of the John Deere Classic.
Monahan met with a few members of the media ahead of the PGA Tour event on Wednesday.
Amy Rogers of Golf Channel reported that when Monahan was asked to provide an update he simply responded by saying he would not 'negotiate in the media'.
There were unsubstantiated reports before the US Open that lightning had struck between PGA Tour Enterprises and LIV's backers, the Saudi PIF, but Monahan poured cold water on those rumours.
"A lot of people seem to think that there are things happening that aren't happening," he said.
This week, Monahan was asked what the 'right outcome' would be.
Monahan stressed that he's just looking forward to the day when he can 'share that information'.
The commissioner wasn't the only PGA Tour figure pressed for an update.
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth was asked a 'loaded' question by one reporter.
One scribe asked Spieth: "Can you give us an idea where these negotiations are? Do you see them coming to some kind of resolution by the end of your term on the board?
"If so, what happens to LIV players that want to come back over? What's the best way to bring them back into the fold?"
Spieth replied: "That's an extremely loaded question that I could get in a lot of trouble answering.
"I'll just say things of that nature take a little bit of time, but they're very active.
"That's about as far as I can go for you."
Asked whether he would like to see the deal concluded 'sooner rather than later', Spieth said: "I would like to see it done right for everyone.
"So the timing is the timing. Obviously if anything can be done right and done sooner, that's great.
"But I would rather see it done correctly and done the right way for golf going forward for the longest amount of time, regardless how long that takes to get there, yeah."
A timeline of the PGA Tour's battle with LIV Golf:
October 2021:
Greg Norman is named head of LIV Golf Investments, which promises to put on a tournament series in 2022.
February 2022:
A number of high-profile players, such as Rory McIlroy, declare they have no interest in joining the rival league.
McIlroy famously declared LIV as 'dead in the water'.
March 2022:
LIV Golf announce their schedule and PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan says he will ban members that join the upstart.
May 2022:
The field for LIV's inaugural event at Centurion Club near London is announced.
It is headlined by the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and a host of European Ryder Cup legends such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell.
June 2022:
The PGA Tour suspends 17 golfers during the first round of LIV's inaugural event.
July 2022:
News emerges the PGA Tour is being investigated by the Department of Justice over potential anticompetitive behaviour.
August 2022:
Mickelson and 10 other LIV players file an antitrust lawsuit against the Tour.
Some players sought a temporary restraining order against the Tour to compete in the Fedex Cup playoffs.
LIV also added a number of players to their roster, notably 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith.
September 2022:
PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan states 'it's not in the cards' for a truce.
October 2022:
LIV's inaugural season concludes, with Dustin Johnson winning the individual title.
November 2022:
Jimmy Dunne is added to the PGA Tour's policy board as an independent director.
January 2023:
LIV strikes a TV deal with the CW Network
February 2023:
US judge Susan van Keulen gives the PGA Tour the green light to subpoena Yasir Al-Rummayan, the head of Saudi Arabia's PIF and the chairman of LIV Golf.
May 2023:
Al-Rumayyan and Monahan meet in secret, in Venice, Italy, to discuss the future of the game after the aforementioned Dunne reaches out to the Saudi businessman over WhatsApp.
June 2023:
PGA Tour announces the 'framework agreement' with LIV Golf's backers and that all litigation is being dropped.
All hell breaks loose.
A deadline for the agreement to be reached is set for 31 December 2023.
August 2023:
Tiger Woods is added to the PGA Tour's policy board.
November 2023:
PGA Tour boss Monahan states desire to complete the deal by 31 December.
McIlroy resigns from the policy board.
December 2023:
PGA Tour announces Strategic Sports Group, a group of US-based billionaires, will invest a huge sum of money into the newly-formed PGA Tour Enterprises.
Jon Rahm joins LIV Golf after weeks of speculation.
January 2024:
PGA Tour completes $3bn deal with SSG.
March 2024:
Monahan insists negotiations with PIF are 'accelerating'.
After the Players Championship, the PGA Tour's player directors meet with Al-Rumayyan for the first time.
May 2024:
Jimmy Dunne resigns from the policy board, citing the fact 'no meaningful progress has been made to complete a transaction with the PIF'.
