What to know about Tiger Woods’ meeting with PGA Tour players at BMW Championship as LIV Golf threat looms
As Cameron Smith sits out the BMW Championship amid rumors of his alleged upcoming move to LIV Golf, PGA Tour players are trying to find ways to contain the opposing league and support their own.
Tiger Woods plans to meet with top players at the BMW Championship in Delaware on Tuesday to gather support for the PGA Tour and figure out what the next sensible step would be, according to ESPN.
“It’s a gathering to bring the top 20 players in the world on the same page on how we can continue to make the PGA Tour the best product in professional golf,” one invited player told ESPN.
Woods, who according to Greg Norman turned down a massive offer from LIV Golf worth $700-800 million, has been overly critical of the Saudi-backed league, which has included players like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka posted online and more.
PGA Tour players will also reportedly meet with Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday.
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Why Tiger Woods meets with PGA Tour players
Though it’s all speculative, veteran golf writer Alan Shipnuck said Tuesday’s meeting should include a lot of unpacking.
I hear tomorrow’s PGA Tour players’ meeting is going to be a blast regarding LIV. Everything is reportedly on the table, from major championship boycotts to Monahan’s future to a major compromise. And Tiger MF Woods is expected to fly in to offer advice/harassment/flattery.🍿
— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) August 15, 2022
When PGA Tour players boycott, it’s because they’re fed up with LIV Golf players playing at major events because the PGA Tour has no control over the composition of those fields. LIV Golf members have competed in all four major championships this year despite being barred from Tour-sanctioned events as each major has its own governing body, and three LIV Golf members have applied for an injunction to compete in the FedEx Cup Playoffs to be able to (they were rejected). ).
The reference to Monahan is also interesting. He hasn’t been in power long, but it seems players would like the acting commissioner to take a more active stance.
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What did Tiger Woods say about LIV Golf?
Wood’s meeting with these players takes a clear public stance, not that he was previously opaque.
Woods has regularly preached about golf’s “best interests” in relation to LIV Golf, which according to all its marketing materials is allegedly trying to “promote the game”. Woods does not share this assessment.
“Greg (Norman) has done some things that I don’t think are in the best interest of our game and we are returning to what is probably the most historic and storied place in our sport,” Woods said at The Open Championship. “I think it’s the right thing.”
“I know what the PGA Tour stands for and what we’ve done and what the Tour has given us,” he continued, and the story that was part of that game. I know Greg tried that in the early 90’s. It didn’t work then, and he’s trying to make it work now. I still don’t see how that’s in the best interests of the game.”
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Regarding the players, Woods took a more aggressive stance.
“I just do not understand. What are these players doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice? What’s the incentive to go out there and make it in the dirt? You just get paid a lot of money up front and play a few events and play 54 holes. They play pounding music and have all these different atmospheres.”
Who is Jay Monahan?
Jay Monahan is the commissioner of the PGA Tour, the fourth to hold the title. Monahan has been the tour commissioner since January 1, 2017 and like Woods, he has been harsh in his criticism of LIV Golf.
Monahan has also declined to credit LIV Golf on public broadcasts.
When asked at the RBC Canadian Open why he doesn’t let players play in both leagues shortly after indefinitely suspending all LIV Golf members, Monahan was gruff.
“I would answer that question by asking a question, and that is, why do they need us so badly?” he said in June. “Because these players have chosen to sign multi-year, lucrative contracts to play the same players over and over again in a series of exhibition games. They see that in comparison to what we’re seeing here today, and that’s why they need us so badly. You have real, pure competition here at the RBC Canadian Open, the best players in the world, in front of millions of fans.”
Before serving as commissioner of the PGA Tour, Monahan was an executive at The Players Championship, working his way up to assistant commissioner and eventually COO before Tim Finchem retired.