On a latest podcast look, Kevin Kisner criticized the combat (and eventual truce) between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
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June 6, 2023, was a monumental day on this planet of golf. That morning, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan appeared collectively on CNBC and introduced a truce. The PGA Tour and the PIF (LIV Golf’s monetary backer) deliberate to affix forces. The struggle for golf’s soul formally had phrases for peace.
With entry to billions of {dollars} from the PIF, golf’s monetary future gave the impression to be secured. And with no extra preventing, the main focus of the game may lastly flip again to the course.
However, the reality was much more sophisticated. This proposed partnership doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and the years of preventing left a wake of chaos in its path. The greatest names within the sport had chosen sides, and repairing these rifts would take time.
To make issues worse, some of people who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour felt betrayed when the partnership was introduced. Some turned down thousands and thousands in assured cash to remain loyal, and others merely felt blindsided by Tour management telling them one factor after which making these strikes behind closed doorways.
“I feel betrayed,” tweeted Tour winner Wesley Bryan. “[I] will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA Tour for a very long time.”
After over a 12 months of vilifying the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League, the potential of a sudden merger was not so palatable. Some gamers even known as for Monahan’s job after the announcement.
Three months later, the temperature of the scenario has cooled down, however solely barely. The potential merger is on maintain whereas authorized battles play out and extra clues for what the alliance will appear like have come to the floor. That’s to not say the proposed merger isn’t nonetheless a sizzling speaking level, although.
“[It] kind of [got] thrown in your face,” Kevin Kisner mentioned on Barstool’s Foreplay podcast. “Like, ‘Hey, you fought three years to fight the PIF and LIV Golf, now we’re going to be buddies.’ Total waste of time for three years basically.”
Kisner, who served on the Tour’s Policy Board as a participant director, spent a substantial quantity of time over the past three years preventing to maintain the Tour complete. But after the merger announcement, the Tour has performed an entire 180 as it pertains to Saudi involvement within the sport.
“[It’s] super weird,” Kisner mentioned. “Working so hard on that board. Spending so much time and effort on it over the last three years and then being off of it.”
Will we now have any extra readability coming within the close to future? That’s nonetheless up within the air.
You can take heed to Kisner’s full podcast look here.
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