Exclusive Q&A: Jay Monahan on the Saudi talks, reshaping golf and engaging his critics

On Wednesday morning, Golfweek sat down with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan at Bay Hill to discuss the state of negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and Donald Trump, criticism of his job performance and where he thinks golf is headed in the coming years.

GWK: I want to start with a question that every sports executive hears, usually from disgruntled fans and sometimes from trolls. You’ve heard it from fans and trolls, but also from a few of your members in recent years, but I’ve never heard you answer it. Why do you still have a job?

Monahan: Like every player out here, I’m focused on always trying to get better. If you look at how the Tour has evolved to support our players and fans, that’s a big way I’m measured and my team is measured. But let me get to the heart of the question you’re asking because it’s a question about leadership. When you’re fortunate enough to serve in the capacity that I serve, there are going to be criticisms. It’s my job to understand them and where appropriate to apply those learnings. This is a big, complex organization and all those criticisms should be directed at one person, the leader of the organization. I take pride in the fact that I listen to them and I try and get better.

Does the criticism bother you?

Yes, but I’ve got to the point where it inspires me. I believe strongly in this tour, in our players, in the strength of this organization. A lot of times the criticisms are helpful. But like every other human being, I’ve got a big heart and take pride in what I do. So I’m not going to say that I don’t pay attention to them and it doesn’t bother me. The question is what are you going to do about it? If you look at any success that the organization has had, it’s not one person. It’s the management team, the board, our players.

So when you talk about my performance, I break down my time as commissioner in three chapters. The first is late 2016 into ’17 when I took this job. We needed to focus on our future media rights negotiations. So one thing we did to put the tour in the strongest position was to take a hard look at the schedule. The FedEx Cup playoffs were up against the NFL, which was suboptimal. We worked closely with the PGA of America and moved the PGA Championship to May and took The Players back to March. Then we went to the marketplace which resulted in us extending with our two stalwarts in CBS Sports and NBC/Golf Channel, and added ESPN+. We reinvested some of the money generated in those new rights deals into the formation of PGA Tour Studios because we needed to have excellence around content production, so we’ve got people on the ground every single week to better tell the story of our players and our the impact. We made an investment for 20 years from now, given the uncertainty of how this is the media market place is gonna evolve. Those were all really important decisions for the company.

Second phase was COVID. I’m proud of the role our organization took in figuring out how to return to golf, in being a source of live entertainment when live entertainment was very difficult to come by. That led to a reinvigoration of our game and was a really important moment. It’s a sustained period of growth that I think is going to continue well into the future. I’d stand our response up with any other league with a big smile on my face.

Then obviously there’s the emergence of LIV. What we controlled in that environment is our Tour. The addition of Signature events, the condensing of our schedule from January to August, and ultimately delivering a really strong product for our players that accentuates the meritocracy, the competitive fabric of the Tour and its history. Listen, there were a number of things during that timeframe that we as an organization did. Our rules and regulations, created by and for our players, were challenged in a court of law and those challenges were dismissed with prejudice. I’ll always be grateful to [former PGA Tour Policy Board chairman] Ed Herlihy for guiding us through that. We restructured and created PGA Tour Enterprises, brought on Strategic Sports Group to have the quality and experience of those investors. It also led to the players being owners of their Tour. And the investment we made in Fan Forward. You’re already starting to see innovation changes and that’s going to continue to yield results. These are positive developments that strengthen the Tour and there’s more to come.

Let’s talk about this ‘deal or no deal’ loop you seem to be living in. A few weeks ago, both you and Tiger Woods sounded optimistic notes about nearing a deal with Public Investment Fund. Since the last White House meeting the optimism seems more guarded. Is that a fair assessment?

We continue to state that we’re doing all that we can to reunify the game because our fans are saying that’s what they want, the best players competing together more often. We feel that’s a commitment we’ve got to see through for our fans and for our players. If you look at our comments, it’s been enthusiasm around reunification and a confidence in the efforts that we’re taking, not only the best interests of the Tour but the best interests of the game. Coming out of our last meeting, the president said he was optimistic about a deal getting done. Yasir [al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor] called it a good meeting. When you’re in the midst of complex negotiations you have ebbs and flows but I don’t feel less confident that we can get there and I don’t think my comments have reflected anything other than that. We appreciate Yasir’s innovative vision and can see a future where we welcome him onto our Board and work together to move our global game forward.

Why did the Tour publicly call on Donald Trump to get involved?

Well, the president has a clear passion for the game and publicly stated that he wants golf to be reunified. He talked about the need to come under one tour with all the best players in the world playing on that one tour. Beyond being the leader of the free world, he understands deal making and he’s playing a very constructive role trying to help us get there. I’m grateful for him playing the role that he’s played.

Are you concerned about any perception of bypassing the regulatory review process? Is that still ongoing with the Department of Justice?

That process is still ongoing. We continue to operate with that understanding.

The president is known to be nothing if not transactional. Has he asked the Tour for anything in return? Like returning to his golf courses.

I’d say two things on that front. His focus is on solving the opportunity, and that’s reunifying the game. In terms of the PGA Tour and looking to our future, that’s something we would initiate. Those are two different paths. The path he’s been involved on most closely is reunifying the game.

So if in the future the Tour returns to Doral, for example, it’s unconnected to these conversations?

We’ve been at Doral in the past and we would love to return.

Is there a feasible prospect that the PGA Tour can’t get a deal with PIF and will forge ahead on its own without Saudi investment?

Two things can be true at the same time. Number one, you can do all that you can to get an outcome you think is in the best interests of the Tour and fans. But you don’t fully control that. What we do control is how we capitalize on the momentum, the strength of the PGA Tour, how we continue to respond to fans and innovate. That’s where our focus is because that’s what we control. The answer to your question is that any time you’re in the midst of a deal there’s always the possibility that it won’t work. We’ve always recognized that, which is why we put so much time, energy and effort into strengthening the Tour. I’m proud of where we are today, and I see a lot more opportunity on that front.

Do you think LIV’s strategy of spending has lost its potency? That it’s not so much a threat now as two, three years ago when there were more players potentially on their shopping list.

If you talk to players out here, if you look at Ludvig Aberg, at Luke Clanton, at Gordon Sargent, at Jackson Koivun, if you look at players on the Korn Ferry Tour trying to get one of those 20 cards, this is the highest expression of the game. This is where players have always wanted to play. I can’t speak to what anybody else is doing. I can only speak to what we’re doing and there’s real objective momentum behind this Tour.

You’ve spent a lot of time with Yasir Al-Rumayyan in meetings and playing golf. Has the subject of human rights under his employer ever come up in those discussions?

I’d say a couple things. My first focus is on the Tour, our players and fans. I acknowledge the criticisms you’re referring to and they’re real concerns. I’ve taken two trips to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’ve been able to better understand their culture, better understand the path their country is on. Through that experience it’s clear that Saudi Arabia is looking to play a more progressive, more sustainable role in the global economy. I’m also mindful of the fact that the Public Investment Fund is investing in nine different categories, of which sports and entertainment is one. Golf is a part of that, but a relatively small part. So the question is are we better by isolating or are we better by engaging? My belief in we’re better off engaging in the manner that we’re engaging.

It’s become commonplace to hear people say that all of this division could have been avoided if you had taken a call from the Saudis years ago. Do you buy that?

I don’t. They were determined to create a team league that would result in an economic and commercial shift that would be based on franchise valuation and appreciation like you see in the traditional ball sports. I fully understand what it is that they wanted to do with us, but that was never practical. It wasn’t gonna happen. We as a Tour needed to stick to our values, our heritage. Sometimes you just have to compete in order to ultimately understand the best path forward. Think about the history, the heritage of our events and the greats who made this Tour. That’s who we are. I understand criticisms will be levied on that front, but knowing everything I and others knew at the time, the path that we’ve taken is the right path.

We’re almost two years past the Framework Agreement. Do you have any regrets about how you went about it? Would you do it the same way again?

What we were seeking to accomplish was to reunify the game. The results of that Framework Agreement were a big step in that direction. Unfortunately, we’re not going to get through life without making mistakes or having regrets. I personally regret the way that was rolled out, that it was communicated. Surprising our players and constituents. It was a great learning for me.

Did you lose relationships or friendships?

At the time it felt like I might have but what I experienced was the opposite over time. A lot of those relationships and friendships across this industry strengthened over time. Like I said, nobody gets through life without having things that they’re gonna look back at and wish that they did differently. But to me, it’s all a matter of how do you respond? How do you move forward? That was a difficult time for me, yeah. I care deeply about this Tour and about our players. I have a lot of tenacity, you know, and I want to see this through. Ultimately that’s what drives me. Let’s just leave it at that.

The Framework Agreement called for you to serve as CEO of the for-profit entity PGA Tour Enterprises, a role that you’re not apparently a candidate for now. With that CEO position making consequential business decisions, does it reduce the commissioner to a more ceremonial role in the structure?

Bringing in a new CEO is a very important step not just for PGA Tour Enterprises but for the PGA Tour.  There’s an opportunity that hasn’t existed before. We have investment capital that will be used to strengthen this organization, to further innovate, to look at ownership opportunities across our sports landscape. Having a new CEO come in can help us get to great outcomes on that front. I’m on the search committee and we’ve got an unbelievable group of candidates. I look forward to working closely with this person when they arrive.

What about diminishing the commissioner’s position in the Tour structure?

I don’t look at it that way. I just don’t. It’s the right move and I’m going to fully support this person being successful. That’s what the organization needs.

You mentioned the investment capital from SSG. Any particular reason why we’re 13 months into the SSG relationship without a significant move being made with that money?

You don’t know if a move has been made.

Presumably it would have been announced.

Sometimes moves would be made and haven’t yet been announced.

So has there been a move or not?

We’re active right now. We’ll be in a position to announce investments that are going to be very intuitive, logical and exciting. That’s just a matter of going through the processes to get to a place where we’re comfortable. Sometimes these things do take time.

If you’re discussing major acquisitions or appointments, is SSG involved? Are they required to be involved?

Listen, we have John Henry, Arthur Blank, Sam Kennedy, and Andy Cohen representing Steve Cohen serving on the board of the PGA Tour Enterprises. The commitment we made with the SSG investment is the formation of committees, so we’ve stood up a strategy committee and an investment committee. You’ve got representatives of SSG that serve on all the committees. What we need to get to is strong consensus across the board in order to move forward with any investment decision and SSG plays a huge role in that. They bring a level of experience and expertise that’s really additive to the whole process.

Do you foresee changes in the core PGA Tour product? For instance, a reduction in tournaments or a streamlining of the schedule, with or without PIF?

What I see is a global sport, an increasingly global schedule. The adjustments that we made for 2026 as it relates to the membership, field sizes and eligibility strengthen the PGA Tour. One thing for certain is that we’ve got a responsibility to the full membership and the pathways and access to the Tour. That will always be critical. Talent regeneration out here is extraordinary. It’s a system that brings new personalities from around the world and that’s something we need to continue to invest in. We’ll continue to work with our player directors and our Player Advisory Council about modeling and improvements. We’re coming off a stretch of significant change that will strengthen our product, but we will continue to evolve.

How often do you hear from rank and file members who aren’t happy about the changes and who think the Tour is beholden to guys at the top of the pyramid? Guys like Lucas Glover and  Charley Hoffman voiced those opinions. Do you talk to those guys frequently about their concerns?

I do and members of our team do. We try and explain the basis for the decisions that are being made. With change, there’s going to be a lot of questions. We have a history of making changes that ultimately have served the organization very well. With the changes we’ve made, every player that has a card on the PGA Tour has the ability to be the number one player in the world and has the ability to play the schedule they want to play. That’s all based on performance.

There’s a perception — perhaps even a reality — that fans have been forgotten or short-changed with so much focus on players and what they want. What would you point your consumers to as evidence that the product is now being enhanced with them in mind?

Fans have told us that they want the best players in the world playing together more often on historic venues. We’ve done that with the establishment of our Signature events. Look at how we present our product week in and week out. The investment that we’ve made in Shot Tracker technology, which we have a patent in. Look at the commitment we’re making to show more golf shots and fewer short putts. The focus on the Friday cutline. There’s nothing like it in sport. Look at Joe Highsmith last week. Makes a four-and-a-half footer to make the cut and then goes on to win the tournament. The investments we made in PGA TourU, in talent regeneration.

We continue to bring forward new stars and great stories. What fans really want is tournaments with meaning and that’s what we deliver.Look at the partnership we have with TGL that’s helping us reach a newer, broader audience. We’re now on the third season of Full Swing on Netflix, giving our fans the opportunity to learn more behind the scenes and better understand our players. The formation of the Creator Council, now the Creator Series, bringing in creators to broaden our audience, which our fans love and respond to. Knowing some other changes that we’re considering based on fan feedback, they’ll see that the offering is only getting stronger.

Could some LIV players appear in a PGA Tour event at some point in the next six months or year?

Again, what I focus on is the reunification discussions we’re having and all the players that play on our tours.

You’ve maintained friendly relationships with some players who went to LIV though, right?

Yes.

Best guess: what does the landscape look like two years from now? Or are you going to tell me you’re not in the guessing business?

I’d say the game of golf from a participation and interest standpoint will continue to grow meaningfully, and the ways people access the game will continue to grow. Some investments we’re making will facilitate that. I see a sport that’s better aligned than it is today. I see more opportunities for us on a global basis. I think you can expect to see younger and younger players making their way to this Tour and two years from now we’ll be talking about someone that we don’t even know. I’m extremely bullish on the prospects for the game and I’m extremely bullish on the PGA Tour.

Two years from now your contract will have expired. Do you have an exit strategy you’d care to share or do you see yourself still being the commissioner?

I’m focused on the job. I’ve got a commitment to this organization, a commitment to the board, my team and the players. I want to get to a place where there’s certainty and help the Tour be in the strongest position it can. I’m excited to bring new talent into the organization.

What do you regard as your biggest success in the job? And your biggest failure.

Listen, it’s not a ‘me’ thing. It’s the organization.

But I’m asking you as an individual.

That’s not something I spend a lot of time thinking about. I talked to you about what we’ve accomplished as a collective team. Maybe at some point in the future when I get time to think about that I’ll be able to answer, but there’s a lot more that’s coming in the future. Because the Tour is going to get stronger.

If you’d known what was on tap when you started — the pandemic, the formation of LIV, litigation, criticism, health issues — would you still have taken the gig?

One hundred percent.

Never a moment of doubt?

Never, no, That’s the great unknown from a career standpoint. You have to expect the unexpected, in life and certainly in your career. And so that’s what I signed up for.

Do you enjoy it as much as you did?

I’m enjoying it very much right now. We’re all humans, that’s going to ebb and flow. But as I sit here talking to you, I really enjoy the challenge. More and more I enjoy the opportunity.

Not many people enjoy the opportunity of talking to me.

Well, not many people enjoy the opportunity to talk to me either.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour Jay Monahan speaks to Golfweek about Saudi talks, his critics