PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan previously was among those voicing their displeasure about the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf International Series, and now he’s working right along beside them.
That hasn’t sat well with the 9/11 Families United, a community of family members who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The group, which previously slammed Phil Mickelson and others that joined LIV Golf since the league’s inception in 2021, shifted its sights to Monahan on Tuesday and shared how they are “shocked” and “deeply offended.” It comes after Monahan and the PGA Tour agreed to merge with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), which backed LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour. The announcement made Tuesday noted how the three parties were hoping to unify the game of golf on a global basis.
It’s created backlash from PGA Tour players, and the 9/11 Families United.
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“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,” Terry Strada, the chair of the 9/11 Families United whose husband died in the terrorist attacks, wrote in a statement published Tuesday.
“But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones. Make no mistake — we will never forget.”
The fact Monahan did speak out against LIV Golf numerous times, and the fact PGA Tour players reportedly didn’t know about the merger, makes it all the more stunning.
“Mr. Monahan talked last summer about knowing people who lost loved ones on 9/11, then wondered aloud on national television whether LIV Golfers ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour,” Strada continued. “They do now — as does he. PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed. Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money — it was never to honor the great game of golf.”
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Featured image via Adam Hagy/USA TODAY Sports Images
