SAD NEWS: Jay Monahan announce resignation pressure grows on commissioner
Jay Monahan’s leadership of the PGA Tour has come under scrutiny in recent years, and a number of names from the circuit’s membership have criticised the commissioner
Jay Monahan has once again felt the wrath of yet another PGA Tour player, after being accused of appeasing the top stars of the American-based circuit.
Monahan’s leadership has been questioned by many over the past year, on the back of the PGA Tour’s decision to u-turn and align with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). The commissioner’s decision to introduce, 70-man ‘Signature Events’ with elevated purses has also been criticised by those lower down the food chain.
The seventh of eight Signature Events is taking place at Muirfield Village this week, with a limited field of the circuit’s biggest names competing for £15.7 million ($20m) in prize money at the Memorial Tournament.
Excluding a whole host of Tour members from the elevated events has not got down well with world No. 125 Nate Lashley, who pointed the finger of blame in the direction of Monahan. Lashley told Golfweek: “Our No. 1 event is the Players and it’s a 144-man field.
“If that’s the best field all year, then why are these signature events, that are supposed to be so good, 70. It makes no sense. Look at how good the Players was this year. When you have more competition, things stay tighter, more compact. When you’ve got fields with no cuts it spreads things out.
“But we have a commissioner who is a chicken —- and won’t stand up to a handful of guys, that’s what happens. You can’t tell me finishing top 10 in a limited field is similar to a 144- or 156-man field. It’s not even close. There’s no comparison. This is way harder.” Unsurprisingly, Lashley is not the only Tour member who has been left frustrated.
The decision to bring in the Signature Event appeared to have been done to thwart off the threat of LIV Golf, who were able to lure in a number of marque players from the PGA Tour. And whilst fellow pro Mark Hubbard understands the Tour’s plans to keep hold of their best, he feels the sport’s leading circuit are leaving the rest behind.
“I know we are trying to keep the top guys here and we had to do something but to shrink the game the way they have,” Hubbard said. “It’s tough because there are 70 guys on the Korn Ferry Tour that could come out and win tomorrow and I think we have just lost sight of that.
“There are just so many people playing really good golf right now and the world has no idea who they are because the Tour has chosen to make it that way. I’m not talking about fringe players, I’m talking about guys that are super good.” Following this week’s Memorial, the Tour will host one more Signature Event, taking place at the Travelers later this month.
