PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan backs Rory McIlroy after policy board snub
Rory McIlroy during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship. Photo: AP Photo/Chris Carlson
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was quick to chalk up the rejection of Rory McIlroy’s offer to rejoin the policy board as a governance issue and no reflection on his “important influence” in the game.
The world No 2 resigned from the board last November but, frustrated by the lack of progress in the merger talks with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) , he was prepared to rejoin by stepping in for Webb Simpson, “but only if people want me involved.”
McIlroy described his failed bid as “pretty complicated and pretty messy”
“It opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before,” he said. “There was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.”
While it was technically complicated to reinstate McIlroy, Monahan insisted the decision should not be considered a direct snub of the man who had been his biggest ally in the fight with LIV Golf.
“Today’s news is in no way a commentary on Rory’s important influence,” Monahan said in a statement. “It’s simply a matter of adherence to our governance process by which a tour player becomes a board member.
“Webb remaining in his position as a member of the policy board and PGA Tour enterprises board through the end of his term (to the en d of 2025) provides the continuity needed a t this vital time.
“We are making progress in our negations with the PIF and are working as a collective – the player directors, our boards and tour management – to remain open-minded to all avenues that advance the tour in the best interest of our players, our partners and, most importantly, our fans.”
Despite Monahan’s protests, multiple outlets reported that Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods were amongst those less than keen to welcome back McIlroy, who wants to see the LIV rebels return without punishment and PIF to invest its billions in a globalised PGA Tour.
In the PGA Tour’s Myrtle Beach Classic, Beau Hossler shot a seven-under 64 to lead by a shot from Davis Thompson and Alistair Docherty while in the Cognizant Founders Cup, world No 1 Nelly Korda opened with a three-under 69 in her bid for a sixth LPGA win in a row, leaving her four shots behind Madelene Sagstrom.
Meanwhile, Dermot McElroy shot a bogey-free, two-under 70 to share 22nd, two shots out of an eight-way tie for the lead in the Challenge de Espana at Real Club Sevilla Golf.
In the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at Co Sligo, Louth teenager Gavin Tiernan opened with a six-under 65 and leads by a shot from two Walker Cup stars in Liam Nolan and Matthew McClean.
Wells Fargo Championship, 12.15pm Aramco Team Series, 6.30am (All live on Sky Sports)
