PGA Tour isn’t out of the woods despite Saudi-backed Super League failure

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After months and months of worrying, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will no doubt have slept a tad easier over the past week, following the latest fallout to the Saudi Golf League saga.

At the turn of the year it seemed as if the Saudi-backed series was beginning to build momentum. 

Golf’s biggest names were being linked with multi-million offers, and some of the PGA Tour’s most famous stars looked ready to make the move, despite previous warning from Monahan.

However, a week of rejection from the likes of Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy and two of the Saudi’s biggest hopes, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson left many questioning whether the SGL was over before it had even begun.

The final nail in the coffin then seemed to be a statement from the breakaway circuit’s biggest hope Phil Mickelson, who issued a grovelling apology after his recent controversial comments surrounding the Saudis left his once shining golfing legacy in tatters.

Amidst the downfall though, the Saudi League’s frontman Greg Norman – who had remained relatively quiet – spoke out to warn Monahan and his PGA Tour that the SGL was not done yet.

One big question mark that seemed to leave those players contemplating a move to the Saudi series before eventually backing out was the threat of a lifetime ban from the PGA Tour.

Whether professional golf does need a reform or not, the undoubtable pinnacle of the sport for any competitor is the PGA Tour, and it seems this membership was worth more than any mega-money deal to the playing quota.

Norman though was left furious with Monahan’s threat of a ban, and he responded by writing a warning letter to the Tour boss that the SGL would go on.

The two-time Open champion wrote: “Simply put, you can’t ban players from playing golf. Players have the right and the freedom to play where we like. 

“I know for a fact that many PGA players were and still are interested in playing for a new league, in addition to playing for the Tour. What is wrong with that?

“What is wrong with allowing players to make their own decisions about where to play and how often to play? What is so wrong with player choice? Why do you feel so threatened that you would resort to such a desperate, unwise, and unenforceable threat?”

The most dramatic line of all though came later on.

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After starting off his open letter to Monahan with a threat regarding the stance over the ban, saying “Surely you jest. And surely your lawyers at the PGA Tour must be holding their breath”, Norman had one final message, signing off with: “Commissioner – this is just the beginning. It certainly is not the end.”

The PGA Tour have not yet responded to Norman’s comments.

There is no question that most success in sport often comes through heavy financial backing, and with this being the SGL’s driving force Norman’s warning could well be true.

On the other side of the mega-money deals also comes the thoughts of the players. Whilst Mickelson has issued an apology, it is still clear to see that the American remains more than disgruntled with the way the PGA Tour operates.

His ‘obnoxious greed’ comments came after the American had accused the Tour of exploiting players’ media rights.

Mickelson’s claim was taken with a pinch of salt by many, with an unsurprising lack of sympathy given to a man who had earned millions throughout his career complaining about finances.

However, if the Tour’s second highest earner of all time was left restless with the issue, where does that leave the rest of the circuit? Especially those lower down the food chain.

Mickelson’s apology came just two days after fellow star DeChambeau had pledged his future to the PGA Tour, however like the 51-year-old his statement was less than convincing.

DeChambeau has made no secret of his want for change in the game throughout his rollercoaster career, and the American was the man most heavily linked to be the SGL’s ‘poster boy’ role – with reports suggesting he was offered a remarkable £100 million to join up.

Whilst his statement committed him to the Tour, to many his words seemed hollow as he wrote: “I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I.”

It seems as if DeChambeau’s pledge to the US-based circuit only came through following his fellow pros, rather than his support of the Tour, implying that if one or two make the SGL move in the future, he could be tempted.

Whilst Monahan seems to have the majority of his playing quota on his side for now, Norman’s fierce warning shows he and the Tour may not be out of the woods just yet.

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