'I Do Have Confidence In Him' - Rory McIlroy Backs PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan

The Northern Irishman has thrown his support behind under fire PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan

PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan (left) laughs with Rory McIlroy (right) after McIlroy won the PGA Tour Championship on Sunday, August 28, 2022
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy says he still has confidence in Jay Monahan to carry on in his role amid calls for the PGA Tour commissioner to resign.

McIlroy was speaking for the first time since the shock announcement that the established tours - the PGA and DP World Tours - had agreed to merge with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia that bankrolls LIV Golf.

The Northern Irishman was one of the most outspoken critics of LIV Golf, becoming the de facto voice of the PGA Tour, admitting this deal has left him feeling like a "sacrificial lamb".

But despite that, McIlroy still thinks Monahan is the right man for the job, pointing to his track record in business and the respect he is held in by colleagues and those who have dealt with him.

McIlroy also says he understands the “anger” some are feeling now that LIV golfers are set to be able to regain their PGA Tour status, but is adamant that any returning players who defected to the PIF-funded circuit will be punished. 

"I do, yeah," McIlroy said, when asked if he still had confidence in Monahan at his eagerly anticipated press conference before the RBC Canadian Open. "Look, I've dealt with Jay a lot closer than a lot of those guys have. From where we were a couple of weeks ago to where we are today, I think the future of the PGA Tour looks brighter as a whole, as an entity. 

"What that looks like for individual players in terms of keeping a Tour card and bringing players back into the fold and then that sacrifices other people, that's where the anger comes from, right. And I understand that.

"There still has to be consequences to actions. The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this Tour, started litigation against it. Like, we can't just welcome them back in. Like, that's not going to happen. 

"And I think that was the one thing that Jay was trying to get across yesterday is like, 'Guys, we're not just going to bring these guys back in and pretend like nothing's happened'. That is not going to happen. 

"So I do have confidence in him [Monahan]. I think you ask the people around him that deal with him in a business sense, whether it's the directors of the board of the PGA Tour. or the title sponsors that he deals with, I mean, he seems to be a very impressive individual when it comes to business."

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Andrew Wright
Freelance News Writer

A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly. 

Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.

As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.

What's in Andy's bag?

Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)

Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)

Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x