Tom Watson questions 'hypocrisy' of merger in open letter
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[June 20, 2023]
The PGA Tour's announced merger with LIV Golf and the Saudi
Public Investment Fund (PIF) captured the endorsement of perhaps the
game's greatest ambassador, but Tom Watson needs more convincing.
Watson, winner of eight majors among his 39 career wins, penned an
open letter to the PGA Tour, including commissioner Jay Monahan, and
his "fellow players" on Monday, questioning the merger while twice
hitting at the "hypocrisy" of it.
While Jack Nicklaus gave a nod of approval to the merger, calling it
"good for the game of golf," Watson has more than 1,000 words of
questions.
Watson gave a nod to Monahan, first wishing him a "complete and
speedy recovery" from undisclosed medical issues that sidelined the
commish last week.
"With the recent high hurdles in dealing with LIV poaching Tour
players and the legal battles presented as a result, I have a sense
of the complexity of the issues which he presently faces as a
leader," Watson wrote. "Unfortunately, in the wake of recent news, I
also understand the cries of hypocrisy. Because he is a smart man, I
know Jay does too.
"... Clearly, the Tour's traditional business model was threatened
by LIV. The upstart tour created unprecedented obstacles and battles
of both moral and financial consequence."
The PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council is set to meet Tuesday ahead
of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., albeit without a
mending Monahan. Watson wrote he's hoping "unanswered questions" get
addressed at that meeting.
"What does acceptance of this partnership mean to the Tour? What do
we get? What do we give up? Why was this deal done in such secrecy
and why wasn't even one of the players who sits on the Tour's Policy
Board included?" Watson wrote. "A matter this profound deserves
thorough vetting by a representative group of stakeholders which
include those, who in the end, define the public image and emotional
connection with the PGA Tour."
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"... These questions are compounded by the hypocrisy in disregarding
the moral issue; a position which for a long time was publicly
highlighted by Tour leadership," Watson continued. "... It has also
been illustrated that not all of our players are in search of money
at all costs.
"Those who stayed true to the Tour for whatever personal reason or
position of moral conscience are more than a few outliers. There are
widespread rumors on the Tour offering financial reparations to
these players who rejected offers from LIV and remained loyal to our
Tour. ... And in a related question, what if any, are the plans to
reinstate Tour players who defected and now want to return to the
PGA Tour?"
Watson then referenced the Tour's "more desperate financial
situation than has been previously revealed."
"It is important to understand how all of this has impacted the
Tour's Reserve Fund and the Tour's overall financial solvency," he
wrote.
"... Is the PIF the only viable rescue from the Tour's financial
problems? Was/is there a plan B? And again, what exactly is the
exchange? We need clarity and deserve full disclosure as to the
financial health of the PGA Tour and the details of this proposed
partnership."
--Field Level Media
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