Australian major champion Geoff Ogilvy says PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan was heckled and labelled a “hypocrite” in a fiery meeting where players called for his resignation after being told of the shock merger with LIV Golf.
Monahan had been working for nearly two months on the deal, without any players or senior LIV officials including chief executive and commissioner Greg Norman knowing, with players only finding out via a memo before being told in person at the Canadian Open.
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Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open winner who has rejoined the PGA Tour this year, said there was an open call from the floor for Monahan to resign given his previous opposition to LIV Golf, with players knocking back up to $2bn in signing offers to join Norman’s breakaway tour.
That loyalty, from players like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, was now being “almost punished” Ogilvy said and players were seething for being kept in the dark given Monahan’s memo to the players called the PGA Tour “your Tour”.
“I’m glad I wasn’t Jay today,” Ogilvy said after the meeting.
“There’s some grumpy players in there. I feel a little bit sort of, I’m not lied to, but just that the tour has sort of changed its position quickly and dropped it on us really fast. So maybe there’s a feeling of a lack of trust a little bit in the leadership.
“I don’t know if that was all, that’s not everyone in the room. It just feels like nobody really knows what’s happening and the players are out of the loop, but no one really ever likes being out of a loop.
“You know, everyone likes bit of information and especially when it’s your livelihood and your job and the sport that you love. So, it was an interesting meeting and sometimes meetings can get a little bit spicy.
“And I guess one of the feelings is the players here just want the loyal players rewarded and not almost punished for staying.”
Ogilvy said Monahan accepted the “hypocrite” calls.
“He took it really well. I mean, that’s what the leader has to do though. The leader has to stand up and deliver good news sometimes and bad news sometimes,” he said.
“It was a tough meeting for both sides of things. I guess for Jay and all the players because nobody really knows what this is gonna look like in the end.”
After news of the deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backed LIV to the tune of $2bn and will now be the primary investor in the PGA Tour, filtered out, the PGA of Australia said it remained “in discussions” about what the new landscape meant for Australian golf.
Having remained loyal to the PGA Tour, and co-sanctioning evens with the DP World Tour, chief executive Gavin Kirkman said he hoped it would deliver “positive benefits” to the game.
“The PGA of Australia has continued discussions with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour overnight and this morning to discuss the details of the agreement jointly announced with the Public Investment Fund to unify professional golf on a global basis,” Kirkman said.
“We have and will continue to act in a deliberate, strategic and consistent manner which is to be committed to work within golf’s global ecosystem and provide strong pathways for the players on the PGA Tour of Australasia into tours around the world.
“These discussions are ongoing as we continue to ensure any new arrangements deliver positive benefits to our tour, all of our members, the entire Australasian golfing community and those who love the game.”
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