The 9/11 Families United coalition condemned the merger agreement in a statement Tuesday.“PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation,” it said.
In his interview with Golf Channel, Monahan mentioned confidentiality as a reason why he did not communicate the news. “I regret that. I really do,” he said. “It’s important to reiterate that I feel like the move we made and how we move forward is in the best interest of our sport. We’ve eliminated those fractures. Any difficulties I’ve caused on that front, I have to own that as well. That comes back to communication.”“As we went forward and we reached the compromise, that was one of my great considerations. But any hypocrisy, I have to own. Nobody else, that’s on me.
“I’m going to spend every single waking hour as we move forward here and we finalize this agreement and we move into the future that the players that have created the PGA Tour have created this pro competitive legacy juggernaut that have articulated the support and direction we’re going in. … Loyalty ultimately as a leader always needs to be rewarded,” he said.