(Provided by Tennis World USA)
No one could escape it but no one expected it either, the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia signed a historic agreement on Tuesday. After having been very virulent against the country of the Arabian Peninsula , Jay Monahan now finds himself facing his words.
Jay Monahan, statements
On the sidelines of the RBC Canadian Open last year, the 53-year-old was asked about the links between Saudi Arabia and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “I think you would have to live under a rock to not unaware that There are significant implications with 9/11, he said.
I have two close families who have lost loved ones. So I wholeheartedly agree with them. And I would like to ask any player who has left the tour or is considering leaving: have you ever had to apologize for being a PGA Tour member?” The PIF is therefore now an official partner of the PGA Tour.
Monahan was asked during a call with some media on Tuesday if his position had changed, and he replied that he understood that some might call him a hypocrite following this about-face. ” What changed? I looked at where we were at that point, and it was a good time to have a conversation.” “We have done everything in our power to improve and grow the PGA Tour.
But at the end of the day, it’s about looking at the big picture and saying it’s not sustainable to have this tension in our sport. We are in a position of control, we have an investor, a large world-class investor”. I recognize that people will call me a hypocrite.
Every time I said something, I said it with the information I had at the time, and I said it trying to be competitive for the PGA Tour and our players. I accept these criticisms. But circumstances change. I think looking at the big picture and looking at it that way is what got us here”.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Jay Monahan was asked about the reaction of players who stuck with the Tour versus those who accepted the millions and should be able to quickly rejoin the PGA Tour. “It probably didn’t seem that way to them, but looking At our players, those who have been loyal to the PGA Tour, I’m confident the decision they made was the right one,” Monahan said.
They helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour. They made us evolve towards a more pro-competitive model”. “We have invested significantly in our business in 2023. We will continue to do so in 2024. I think all the players who stayed will realize the money they will make, the strength of this platform , this will put them in a very strong position. They will win and will continue to develop”.