PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says he regrets not talking to the families of 9/11 victims prior to announcing a deal had been struck with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, LIV Golf's owner, to create a worldwide men's golf tour along with the European-based DP World Tour.
"In allowing confidentiality to prevail, I did not communicate to very important constituents, including the 9/11 families," Monahan said in an interview with Golf Channel Wednesday.
Monahan's decision to pursue a merger is a far cry from Monahan's previous claims that the golfers who joined the Saudi-Arabian-backed LIV Golf meant they were essentially supporting those involved with 9/11.
"I have two families (of 9/11) that are close to me that lost loved ones, so my heart goes out to them," Monahan said in an interview with CBS's Jim Nantz last year. "I would ask any player that has left, or any player that would consider leaving, 'Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?'"
Moanhan's decision to now support the merger has him being labelled a hypocrite by many, including by the 9/11 Families United coalition.
“PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation,” the coalition said in a statement Tuesday. "But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones. Make no mistake — we will never forget."
When asked about being labelled a hypocrite, Monahan said he will own it since he believes he made the best decision for the sport of golf.
"I understand the criticism," Monahan said Tuesday. “As we went forward and we reached the compromise, that was one of my great considerations. But any hypocrisy, I have to own. Nobody else, that’s on me. As we sit here today, I’m confident that we’ve done something that’s in the best interest of our sport and in the best interest of PGA Tour members.”
Rory McIlroy, one of the strongest player voices against Saudi-funded LIV Golf that caused so much disruption in golf, said Wednesday he now feels like a "sacrificial lamb'' with the stunning reversal of the PGA Tour becoming partners with Saudi Arabia's enormous wealth fund.
"It's hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb, and feeling like I've put myself out there and this is what happens,'' McIlroy said at the RBC Canadian Open, where he is the two-time defending champion.
"Again, removing myself from the situation, I see how this is better for the game of golf. There's no denying that,'' he said, "But for me as an individual, yeah, there's just going to have to be conversations that are had.''
-- With files from Associated Press
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