PGA Tour will support “player-led protests” against social injustice

The PGA Tour has announced that it will support any player who decides to protest against social and racial injustice, following similar recent action in other US-based sports.

The NBA postponed three basketball play-off matches on Wednesday after the Milwaukee Bucks called off their fixture following the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Blake, a black man, was shot seven times in the back by police near Milwaukee on Sunday, leading to widespread protests across the US.

Three baseball games were called off after teams decided not to play, with five MLS matches also having been postponed. Tennis ace Naomi Osaka also withdrew from a WTA match in protest at the shooting. 

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The second of the FedEx Cup Playoff events, the BMW Championship, gets underway in Illinois today. It’s not yet clear if any players intend to withdraw in solidarity with the protests but, if they do, they will have the full supoport of the tour.

In a statement, the tour said: “The MLB, MLS, NBA, WNBA and WTA protests are player-led, peaceful, powerful ways to use their respective platforms to bring about the urgent need for change in our country. 

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“There have been a number of efforts in the past to send a message that the current climate is unacceptable, and these teams, leagues and players now taking this step will help draw further attention to the issues that really matter. The PGA Tour supports them – and any of our own members – standing up for issues they believe in.

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“The PGA Tour made a pledge over the summer to be part of the solution, and we have been actively working to make deeper and more specific commitments to racial equity and inclusion in the communities where we play, as well as supporting national organisations within this movement that we had not previously engaged with. However, we understand that now is not the appropriate time to highlight our programs and policies, but rather to express our outrage at the injustice that remains prevalent in our country.

“Sports have always had the power to inspire and unify, and we remain hopeful that together, we will achieve change.”