PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan is now apologizing to 9/11 family members after orchestrating a merger with Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Monahan is taking heat from nearly every side of the LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour feud now that he has announced that the two pro golf organizations will merge into a new pro golf powerhouse. But especially stinging has been the accusations from 9/11 Families United that he is a “Saudi shill” for the merger.
On Tuesday, a group representing surviving family members of those who died during the terror attacks on 9/11/2001 blasted the PGA Tour for its sudden and surprising announcement that it is merging with LIV Golf, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian government.
The group said LIV Golf is “bankrolled by billions of sportswashing money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and accused the Saudi government of playing a role in the terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans.
9/11 spokesperson Terry Strada slapped Monahan, saying, “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,” Strada said. “Make no mistake — we will never forget.”
Now, Monahan has issued an apology for “allowing confidentiality” to trump the family’s concerns about merging with LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
According to golf columnist Kyle Porter, Monahan apologized for “not communicating” well enough ahead of the announcement of the merger, which has been in the works for about two months.
“In allowing confidentiality to prevail,” Monahan reportedly said, “I did not communicate to very important constituents including the families of 9/11. I regret that. I really do. 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 cause on that front, I have to own that as well. That comes back to communication.”
This is the same Jay Monahan that only a few months ago hinted that being part of LIV Golf was something to “apologize for.”
“I have two families that are close to me that lost loved ones,” Monahan said at the RBC Canadian Open. “My heart goes out to them, and I would ask that any player that has left, or that would ever consider leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?”
Despite his apology to the 9/11 families group, it seems doubtful that they will find themselves in a forgiving mood after it appeared for so long that the PGA Tour was siding with them.
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