The PGA Tour has announced that 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods has joined its Policy Board as its sixth Player Director.
The move comes in the aftermath of the Tour’s shock merger with the Saudi Public Investment Fund that finances LIV Golf.
According to a statement released by the PGA Tour, the move is part of a new agreement between commissioner Jay Monahan, player members, Player Directors and Player Advisory Council members “to ensure that the Tour lives up to its mission of being a player-driven organization, ‘for the players, by the players.’”
The statement also explains that player leaders have driven the initiative as part of a desire to “uphold the Tour’s core principles,” which Monahan has agreed to support.
It goes on to confirm that players and Monahan will work together to ensure that “no major decision can be made in future without the prior involvement and approval of the Player Directors.”
Players Directors’ Special Advisor Colin Neville will also be made aware of the state of negotiations as he carries out his duties on behalf of the players. That will give Player Directors including Woods the authority to “approve – or to decline to approve – any potential changes to the Tour as part of the Framework Agreement discussions.”
Following the shock merger agreement announced in June, there was an almost immediate backlash from many players, particularly over the secretive nature of the negotiations and their lack of involvement, with Monahan facing calls to resign from angry PGA Tour players. With the dust having settled to a degree, the move appears to have been made to address those concerns.
Along with Rory McIlroy, Woods was one of the PGA Tour’s biggest defenders amid the LIV Golf threat. Therefore, even though his playing opportunities are limited due to ongoing injury issues, it is not surprising that he has been given more power as the PGA Tour plots a way forward in the wake of the merger agreement.
Following his appointment, the 47-year-old said: “I am honored 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…
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