PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke at Bay Hill ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational yesterday, discussing a range of topics -- from his tenure as commissioner to the future of golf and talks negotiations with the Saudi PIF, according to a Q&A with Eamon Lynch of GOLFWEEK. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: You’ve heard it from fans and trolls, but also from a few of your members in recent years, but I’ve never heard you answer it. Why do you still have a job?
Monahan: When you’re fortunate enough to serve in the capacity that I serve, there are going to be criticisms. It’s my job to understand them and where appropriate to apply those learnings. This is a big, complex organization and all those criticisms should be directed at one person, the leader of the organization. I take pride in the fact that I listen to them and I try and get better.
Q: Does the criticism bother you?
Monahan: Yes, but I’ve got to the point where it inspires me. I believe strongly in this tour, in our players, in the strength of this organization. A lot of times the criticisms are helpful. But like every other human being, I’ve got a big heart and take pride in what I do. So I’m not going to say that I don’t pay attention to them and it doesn’t bother me. The question is what are you going to do about it? If you look at any success that the organization has had, it’s not one person. It’s the management team, the board, our players.
Q: Why did the Tour publicly call on Donald Trump to get involved in the negotiations with the Saudi PIF?
Monahan: The President has a clear passion for the game and publicly stated that he wants golf to be reunified. He talked about the need to come under one tour with all the best players in the world playing on that one tour. Beyond being the leader of the free world, he understands deal-making and he’s playing a very constructive role trying to help us get there.
Q: Is there a feasible prospect that the PGA Tour can’t get a deal with PIF and will forge ahead on its own without Saudi investment?
Monahan: Two things can be true at the same time. Number one, you can do all that you can to get an outcome you think is in the best interests of the tour and fans. But you don’t fully control that. What we do control is how we capitalize on the momentum, the strength of the PGA Tour, how we continue to respond to fans and innovate. That’s where our focus is because that’s what we control. … Any time you’re in the midst of a deal there’s always the possibility that it won’t work. We’ve always recognized that, which is why we put so much time, energy and effort into strengthening the tour (GOLFWEEK, 3/5).
