PGA Tour, LIV Golf & DP World Tour merger: Calls for Jay Monahan to resign in 'heated' players meeting

Monahan (left) attended a players gathering earlier PGA Tour lawsuit the Canadian Open

PGA Tour main Jay Monahan has faced calls to resign astatine an "intense and heated" players gathering pursuing the shock merger with LIV Golf.

Monahan had antecedently said anyone who joined LIV would not beryllium invited backmost connected the PGA Tour.

"I recognise that radical are going to telephone maine a hypocrite," Monahan said.

He added that Tuesday's gathering earlier the commencement of this week's RBC Canadian Open successful Toronto was "intense and surely heated", portion American golfer Johnson Wagner said it was "contentious".

The PGA Tour winner, 43, told the Golf Channel: "There were galore moments wherever definite players were calling for caller enactment of the PGA Tour and adjacent got a mates of lasting ovations.

"I deliberation the astir almighty infinitesimal was erstwhile a subordinate quoted Monahan from the 3M successful Minnesota past twelvemonth erstwhile helium said, 'as agelong arsenic I'm commissioner of the PGA Tour, nary subordinate that took LIV wealth volition ever play the PGA Tour again'. It conscionable seems similar a batch of backtracking.

"Players were mad, players were calling for (his) resignation, and Jay sat determination and took it similar a champ, helium truly did."

An statement has been signed that volition harvester the PGA Tour and LIV's commercialized operations and rights into a new, yet to beryllium named for-profit institution and it means pending litigation betwixt the tours volition beryllium halted.

But the announcement took players by astonishment with galore reacting with anger, portion the specifics of however the Tours volition look going guardant is not yet clear.

Northern Ireland's satellite fig 3 Rory McIlroy, who had been a steadfast defender of the PGA Tour, is acceptable to talk to the media astatine astir 15:00 BST connected Wednesday.

Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy added: "(Monahan) conscionable benignant of explained the structure, however it's going to look going forward.

"He didn't truly speech specifics. It was a pugnacious gathering for some sides due to the fact that cipher truly knows what this is going to look similar successful the end."

Human rights radical Amnesty accidental the announcement is further grounds of Saudi Arabian efforts to gully attraction distant from the country's quality rights record, known arsenic sportswashing.

Meanwhile a 9/11 victims radical accidental the PGA Tour should beryllium "ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed" aft Monahan antecedently referenced the panic attacks erstwhile criticising players for leaving the PGA Tour for LIV.

LIV players mislaid their places connected DP World Tour and PGA Tour, were fined for taking portion and besides saw their satellite rankings plummet arsenic LIV events were not officially sanctioned.

European players who resigned from the DP World Tour are besides not presently eligible for the 2023 Ryder Cup, with Henrik Stenson, removed arsenic skipper for this year's event, which takes spot successful Rome from 29 September to 1 October.

"Any clip I've said thing I've said it with the accusation I had astatine that moment, and I said it based connected idiosyncratic that's trying to vie for the PGA Tour and our players," said Monahan.

"I judge those criticisms but circumstances bash alteration and I deliberation looking astatine the large representation got america to this point.

"It astir apt didn't look this mode to them but arsenic I looked to those players that person been loyal to the PGA Tour, I'm assured they made the close decision.

"They person helped re-architect the aboriginal of the PGA Tour, they person moved america to a much competitory model. We person importantly invested successful our concern successful 2023 and we're going to bash truthful successful 2024."

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Brooks Koepka, who the PGA Championship past month, is 1 of the high-profile golfers to person accepted LIV's offer

Monahan said each golfers who joined LIV volition beryllium capable to reapply for PGA Tour rank successful 2024.

He besides said that conversations astir compensation whitethorn instrumentality spot with golfers who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour, specified arsenic Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

Fifteen-time large victor Woods and four-time large champion McIlroy turned down lucrative offers to articulation LIV past year.

"Those are the superior conversations that we're going to have," said Monahan.

"Ultimately everything needs to beryllium considered. Ultimately what you're talking astir is an equalisation implicit clip and I deliberation that's a just and tenable concept."

High-profile players who accepted lucrative offers to articulation LIV, specified arsenic Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, were supportive of the merger with Mickelson saying it was an "awesome day".

Former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, told CNN it was "the champion happening that could ever hap for the crippled of golf" adding: "We are amended unneurotic and not apart."

But ex-PGA Tour subordinate Brandel Chamblee, who is present a tv analyst, has been critical, describing the announcement arsenic "one of the saddest days successful the past of nonrecreational golf".

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