PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan has notified the PGA TOUR Policy Board that he is recovering from a “medical condition” and will be taking a temporary leave with immediate effect.
A joint statement from Monahan and the board late Tuesday night said: “The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone’s respect for his privacy. During Jay’s absence, Ron Price, Chief Operating Officer, and Tyler Dennis, Executive Vice President and President of The PGA TOUR, will lead day-to-day operations with the help of the great team Jay has built, ensuring a seamless continuity. We will provide further updates as appropriate.”
Monahan has come under mounting pressure after announcing last week that the PGA Tour had agreed to form a commercial partnership with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the financier of LIV Golf, after spending most of the past 12 months articulating the reasons why PGA Tour members should They distance themselves from the separatist tour.
While no details were provided about the nature of the 53-year-old’s condition, the situation comes at a time when his position has been questioned 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 Dunn and New York attorney Ed Herlihy, without knowing any of the players.
In a Zoom meeting with the golf media last week, Monahan said, “I realize people are going to call me a hypocrite. Any time I said anything, I said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone trying to compete on the PGA Tour and the players.” I accept those criticisms. But circumstances are changing. I think looking at the big picture and looking at it that way is what got us to this point.”