Tiger Woods officially breaks silence over PGA Tour's deal with LIV's backers

Tiger Woods has officially broken his silence about the PGA Tour's stunning agreement with LIV Golf's backers after being given a new job.

Ben Smith

01 Aug 2023

Tiger Woods officially breaks silence over PGA Tour's deal with LIV's backers — Tiger Woods officially breaks silence over PGA Tour's deal with LIV's…

Tiger Woods has backed under fire commissioner Jay Monahan after he was confirmed as the PGA Tour's latest policy board member.

Woods, 47, has been silent since Monahan sat alongside LIV Golf supremo Yasir Al-Rumayyan in a national television appearance on 6 June.

That appearance immediately followed the bombshell announcement the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV's backers, the Saudi PIF, had agreed to form a new golf company.

It was speculated the decorated golfer, who is recuperating from his latest surgery, was angry with what is being vaguely referred to as a 'framework agreement'.

Hall of Famer Woods and Rory McIlroy were two of the most vocal critics of LIV Golf since its inception.

The decorated golfer accused LIV Golf players of turning their backs on what made them before the landmark 150th Open.

McIlroy said he felt like a sacrificial lamb after the announcement and has since attempted to distance himself from the LIV sideshow, skipping multiple press conferences before major championships.

| Tiger Woods has made his first public remarks about the PGA Tour's deal with LIV Golf's backers.
The 47-year-old has also agreed to sit on the tour's policy board. pic.twitter.com/BiRQbJcJeT
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) August 1, 2023

Woods, on the other hand, did not say a word. The only thing he did was distance himself from documents that suggested he was to give scripted remarks to PGA Tour players at the height of their battle with their rival.

Those documents were released by mistake in Larry Klayman's antitrust litigation against the PGA Tour and placed back under seal.

The scripted remarks suggested Woods was to tell PGA Tour members to do as he did: tell the Saudis to F off.

Woods has now given Monahan his full backing after being confirmed as the sixth member of the PGA Tour's policy board.

He said:

"I am honoured to represent the players of the PGA Tour.

"This is a critical point for the tour, and the players will do their best to make certain that any changes that are made in tour operations are in the best interest of all tour stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and players.

"The players thank commissioner Monahan for agreeing to address our concerns, and we look forward to being at the table with him to make the right decisions for the future of the game that we all love.

"He has my confidence moving forward with these changes."

Monahan also thanked Woods for his 'voice and leadership'.

"Any agreement we reach must be shaped by our members' input and approval earned through our player directors," he said.

This news follows Monahan's explosive memo that was issued to members before the 3M Open.

Monahan outlined proposals for PGA Tour loyalists to be compensated for not joining LIV Golf.

The commissioner also revealed there were plans for a player task force to be created to determine what sanctions LIV players should face if they wish to return to the tour.

Monahan also dropped the bombshell the PGA Tour would not support golf's bifurcation plans.

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