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With the Canadian Open and LIV inaugural event at Centurion Club
outside London both played at the weekend it marked the first
head-to-head showdown between the PGA Tour and the controversial
big-money breakaway series that is looking to shake up golf's status
quo.
A 54-hole format, with no cuts and a team element bolted on, is
being trumpeted as an exciting new era for golf but Monahan
dismissed it as nothing more than series of exhibitions while
questioning the motivation behind a venture that is spending
billions but has no chance of being profitable.
Critics maintain that the LIV project, bank-rolled to the tune of
$250 million by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, (PIF) is
nothing more than blatant 'sportswashing' by a nation trying to
improve its reputation in light of human rights concerns.
"You have to ask yourself the question why?," said Monahan in a
television interview at St. George's Golf and Country Club during
the final round on Sunday. "Why is this group spending so much
money, billions of dollars recruiting players and chasing a concept
with no possibility of a return.
"Those players have chosen to sign multi-year lucrative contracts to
play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players
over-and-over again.
"You look at that opposed to what we see here today.
"We're not going to allow players to free ride off our loyal
members, the best players in the world."
Rory McIlroy's successful defence of his Canadian Open title on
Sunday ended a tumultuous week for the sport marked by verbal
sparring and threats.
Such is the tension that even in the midst of celebrations the
Northern Irishman, a vocal supporter of the PGA Tour, delivered one
last shot at LIV CEO and former-golf great Greg Norman after
collecting his 21st PGA Tour title.
"This is a day I will remember for a long, long time, 21st PGA Tour
win, one more than someone else (Norman), that gave me a little bit
of extra incentive today," McIlroy told a greenside reporter.
Monahan, who on Thursday suspended all current and future players
who have decided to join the breakaway series, made no apologies for
coming down on defectors that included six-time major winner Phil
Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia.
But Monahan also suggested those signing on with the Saudi-backed
venture might have one for the families and survivors of the 9/11
attacks on the World Trade Center, who, according to a report in the
New York Post, sent a letter to the golfer's representatives
expressing their outrage over their participation in the new league.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the 9/11 attacks that killed
nearly 3,000 people were from Saudi Arabia. A U.S. government
commission found no evidence that Saudi Arabia directly funded al
Qaeda.
"I would ask any player that has left or any player that would
consider leaving have you ever had to apologise for being a member
of the PGA Tour?," said Monahan.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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