Jay Monahan responds to PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy rejection

Jay Monahan insists Rory McIlroy’s rejection from the PGA Tour Policy Board is no reflection of his “important influence” in golf.

The PGA Tour commissioner was responding to McIlroy’s revelation that he had effectively been denied the chance to return to the Policy Board at a crucial juncture in the men’s professional game.

McIlroy resigned from the board back in November, citing professional and personal commitments for his surprise decision.

But the Northern Irishman has grown frustrated that progress has stalled during the schism and was prepared to re-enter negotiations with the Saudi funders of LIV Golf in the hope of expediting a peace deal between the warring factions.

• Why Rory McIlroy was denied return to PGA Tour board

• Tournament boss calls for McIlroy to prevent player “ruining” PGA Tour

McIlroy was poised to take Webb Simpson’s seat as the sixth player director on the board, but has now confirmed that a “subset of people” were “uncomfortable” with him making a return.

“It just got pretty complicated and pretty messy,” McIlroy said ahead of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship.

“With the way it happened it opened up some wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. And I think there was a subset of people on the board who were uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.”

Monahan, however, has stressed that the shock development is a procedural issue, whilst also confirming that the Tour has made progress in talks with Saudi’s Public Investment Fund.

“Today’s news is in no way a commentary on Rory’s important influence,” Monahan said in a statement released to various outlets. “It’s simply a matter of adherence to our governance process by which a Tour player becomes a board member.

“Webb remaining in his position as a member of the Policy Board and PGA Tour Enterprises Board through the end of his term provides the continuity needed at this vital time.

“We are making progress in our negations with the PIF and are working as a collective—the Player Directors, our Boards and Tour management—to remain open-minded to all avenues that advance the Tour in the best interest of our players, our partners and, most importantly, our fans.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.