'A Colossal Waste Of Time' - Azinger On PGA Tour Player Advisory Council
The 1993 PGA Champion and 12-time PGA Tour winner didn't hold back on what he thought of the PAC
Paul Azinger has described his 13 years on the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council as a "colossal waste of time."
The 12-time PGA Tour winner, now a broadcaster for NBC/Golf Channel, made the controversial comment whilst on air during the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawaii.
He and co-commentator Dan Hicks were discussing the Player Advisory Council while commentating on Adam Scott, who has recently joined the PAC to all-but close the door on LIV Golf.
"PAC is that first step towards consulting the PGA Tour board and the Commissioner on issues dealing with the Tour," Hicks said before Azinger replied: "I was on that PAC for 13 years, I thought it was a colossal waste of time."
Hicks sounded very surprised, asking: "Really?" To which Azinger replied: "Yeah."
"Well you're sitting in that chair to be honest," Hicks said.
Here’s the full Azinger quote. pic.twitter.com/lDL9H0bzt2January 15, 2023
These aren't the first controversial comments made by Paul Azinger whilst in the booth, after describing the DP World Tour as "that European Tour" in March 2020 when speaking about Tommy Fleetwood's career victories.
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"You can win all you want on that European Tour, international game and all that. But you have to win on the PGA Tour," the 1993 PGA Champion said of Fleetwood, a then-five-time DP World Tour winner who at the time had the 54-hole lead at the Honda Classic.
Azinger was met with severe backlash from the European game, most notably from Ian Poulter who described the comments as "embarrassing."
The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council is made up of 17 players. It is co-chaired by Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson and includes the likes of Billy Horschel, Jon Rahm and Will Zalatoris. It works under the Player Directors, who are James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Kisner and Rory McIlroy.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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