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If the golf world is beginning to heal, then we might just have seen the start of it.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was paired with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund – who bankroll LIV Golf – at Carnoustie today.
The once bitter rivals seemingly put their differences aside on the Angus track, as the Alfred Dunhill Links got underway.
And, while it might not count for much in the boardroom, the American has earned some bragging rights over Al-Rumayyan.
Allow us to explain.
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If the pair had played a match, assuming you count the best team score on each hole, Monahan would’ve won – and comfortably.
Al-Rumayyan got off to a fast start, taking the lead on the 11th hole, their second of the day, but the tables turned deep in the back nine.
We’ll let you decide if that’s a metaphor for how this whole ordeal has unfolded over the last three years.
Anyway, with the match all-square arriving on the 13th tee, Monahan – playing with Billy Horschel – upped the ante, winning three successive holes.
Joined by LIV golfer Dean Burmester, Al-Rumayyan took the honours on 16 to cut the deficit, but a birdie on the par-3 eighth for Monahan and Horschel sealed this deal.
A 3&1 win for the PGA Tour chief, who posted a final birdie on the 18th for good measure.
If Jay & Yasir had played a match today, the best team score counting on each hole, Jay would have won 3&1.
10. AS
11. Yasir 1up
12. Yasir 1up
13. Yasir 1up
14. AS
15. AS
16. Yasir 1up
17. Yasir 1up
18. AS
1. AS
2. AS
3. AS
4. Jay 1up
5. Jay 2up
6. Jay 3up
7. Jay 2up
8. Jay 3&1 pic.twitter.com/rCJLC2Cwbi— Michael McEwan (@MMcEwanGolf) October 3, 2024
In stroke play terms, Monahan and Horschel’s 64 beat Al-Rummayan and Burmester’s 66.
Up next for Monahan is an unofficial match with Team McIlroy at Kingsbarns tomorrow. Rory said after his first round that dad Gerry “didn’t play very well” at Carnoustie.
Meanwhile, Al-Rumayyan and Burmester will also tee it up at the Fife venue, but in the company of Louis Oosthuizen and Johann Rupert, who chairs Dunhill’s parent company Richemont.
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