PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan has informed the PGA TOUR Policy Board that he is recuperating from a ‘medical situation’ and will take a temporary leave of absence with immediate effect.
A joint statement issued by Monahan and the Board late on Tuesday night, said: “The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy. During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, Chief Operating Officer, and Tyler Dennis, Executive Vice President & President of The PGA TOUR, will lead the day-to-day operations with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity. We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
Monahan, 53, has come under increasing pressure following his announcement last week that the PGA TOUR has agreed to a form commercial partnership with Saudia Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the body funding LIV Golf, having spent much of the last 12 months giving reasons why PGA Tour members should distance themselves from the breakaway tour.
While no details have been provided about the nature of the 53-year-old’s condition, the situation comes at a time when his position has been called into question by players on his tour. It is understood that Monahan spent nearly two months working on the deal with two PGA Tour board members, investment banker Jimmy Dunne and New York attorney Ed Herlihy, without any players’ knowledge.
In a Zoom meeting with golf media last week, Monahan said: “I recognise that people are going to call me a hypocrite. Anytime I said anything, I said it with the information that I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that´s trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players. I accept those criticisms. But circumstances do change. I think that in looking at the big picture and looking at it this way, that’s what got us to this point.”