Under-fire PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has temporarily stepped down from his position due to an unspecified “medical situation”.
Monahan has been under huge scrutiny since signing a merger deal with the controversial breakaway LIV Golf tour. His decision has rocked the world of golf, which had previously been divided between the two warring factions.
PGA Tour professionals have accused Monahan of betrayal after the executive failed to consult them over the deal. The 53-year-old American, who faced calls to resign, is now handing over the reins to two colleagues for a period of time to recover from a personal medical problem.
A joint statement from Monahan and the Tour’s policy board read: “Jay Monahan informed the PGA TOUR Policy Board that he is recuperating from a medical situation. The board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy.
“During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, chief operating officer, and Tyler Dennis, executive vice president & president, PGA TOUR, will lead the day-to-day operations of the PGA TOUR with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity. We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
Price and Dennis also released a statement which read: "Our thoughts are with Jay and his family during his absence, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
"We have a strong and experienced leadership team in place and our priority is to support our players and continue the work under way to further lead the PGA Tour and golf's future."
Monahan faced a furious reaction from prominent PGA Tour professionals, including Rory McIlroy. Players felt blindsided by the LIV Golf decision after rejecting big-money contract offers from the breakaway organisation, which is run by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
In a statement announcing the deal, Monahan said: "After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.
"This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA TOUR’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
The deal is now being investigated by United States Senator Richard Blumenthal. The chairman of the Senate Select Subcommittee on Investigations sent a letter to LIV's chief executive Greg Norman on Monday.
"While few details about the agreement are known, PIF’s role as an arm of the Saudi government and PGA Tour’s sudden and drastic reversal of position concerning LIV Golf raises serious questions regarding the reasons for and terms behind the announced agreement," wrote Blumenthal in the letter. "Accordingly, I write to request documents and information related to this agreement."
