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When the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund introduced a framework settlement to merge their business operations, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan appeared the long run chief and golf and LIV Golf’s Greg Norman a casualty of the deal.
Monahan lauded the “historic day,” and was hailed as the person who would oversee each the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is bankrolled by the PIF. And it was reported he even had the ability to make LIV Golf go away.
As for Norman, LIV’s CEO and commissioner, we have been advised throughout a Senate subcommittee listening to one month after the announcement the Palm Seashore Gardens resident is “out of a job” if a deal is reached.
Seven months later, Monahan’s star has crashed and burned and Norman, properly, he’s as defiant and assured as ever.
Whether or not or not the perimeters attain a deal by Sunday’s deadline — Tiger Woods believes it’s attainable — the most important shock in 2024 might be Monahan, a person who not way back was a rising star in his discipline, cleansing out his desk in Ponte Vedra Seashore and Norman surviving the chaos.
A situation that all of a sudden is an actual chance.
Whereas some PGA Tour members are calling for brand new management, Norman expressed his confidence that he and LIV are right here for the long term throughout a gathering with choose members of the media at Doral two months in the past.
Norman was requested what he thought when he heard the PGA Tour’s chief working officer, Ron Worth, declare Norman can be squeezed out.
“I knew it wasn’t true,” he mentioned. “There’s a lot white noise floating round on the market that I really paid zero consideration to. … I used to be by no means in any concern of anyone saying something or any animus towards me or something like that.”
And Norman insists LIV Golf would proceed as a “standalone entity” even when a deal is reached with the PGA Tour.
Jon Rahm shakes arms with Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Commissioner, throughout the trophy ceremony after profitable throughout the ultimate spherical of the Sentry Event of Champions at Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Membership on January 08, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photograph by Harry How/Getty Pictures)
In the meantime, Jupiter’s Xander Schauffele has been probably the most outspoken about Monahan’s future, telling As we speak’s Golfer he “wouldn’t thoughts” seeing new management.
“I might be mendacity if I mentioned that I’ve an entire lot of belief after what occurred,” Schauffele mentioned. “That’s positively the consensus that I get after I discuss to plenty of guys. It’s a bit contradictory after they name it ‘our Tour’ and issues can occur with out us even realizing.
“It’s laborious. I’m certain there are causes for what occurred, however on the identical time, it places us in a very laborious spot to belief the management that did some stuff at midnight and is meant to have our greatest pursuits at coronary heart. I’m a bit at midnight nonetheless. I hate to take a seat right here and hope for one of the best.”
Monahan’s mistake was holding about two months of negotiations with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who heads the PIF, in secrecy. This angered the gamers and led to Woods being added to the Participant Advisory Board to present the gamers a stronger voice.
Listening to the outrage, Monahan later regretted not looping within the gamers.
However Monahan clearly has misplaced the belief of the gamers, and watching Jon Rahm, who voiced his distrust in Monahan on the U.S. Open, be a part of LIV in November continued Monahan’s downward spiral.
LIV Golf CEO, Greg Norman appears on from the vary throughout Day One of many LIV Golf Invitational – Miami at Trump Nationwide Doral Miami on October 20, 2023, in Doral, Florida. (Photograph by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Pictures)
“Administration has not accomplished an excellent job,” Viktor Hovland mentioned in a current podcast. “You see what occurs behind closed doorways, how administration really makes choices that aren’t within the gamers’ finest curiosity however finest for themselves and what they suppose is finest.”
As a lot as Monahan dismissed LIV Golf publicly — he as soon as mentioned LIV was an “irrational menace” — the league that has poached stars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and now Rahm — from the PGA Tour, additionally has gotten its consideration.
The Tour’s infusion of cash into prize purses and the Participant Impression Program, and begging sponsors to extend monetary commitments is a direct results of LIV’s menace.
LIV gained leverage in these negotiations after signing Rahm and the PGA Tour is aware of it can’t compete with the PIF’s conflict chest of greater than $700 billion.
That places Norman able of energy. And Monahan desperately making an attempt to carry on.
Tom D’Angelo covers golf amongst different sports activities for the Palm Seashore Submit, a part of the USA As we speak Community.
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