Veteran PGA Tour board member resigns over concerns about LIV deal

A veteran PGA Tour board members has decided to resign following the league’s newly formed partnership with LIV Golf. The Washington Post reported the news on Sunday.

Stephenson provided his letter of resignation on Saturday over “serious concerns” about the new agreement with LIV Golf. He served as a member of the PGA Tour’s influential policy board since 2012.

In the letter obtained by The Washington Post, Stephenson voiced serious concerns with the PGA Tour working with Saudi Arabia, LIV Golf and the PIF. He said the framework of the partnership “is not one that I can objectively evaluate or in good conscience support, particularly in light of the U.S. intelligence report concerning Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.”

“I joined this board 12 years ago to serve the best players in the world and to expand the virtues of sportsmanship instilled through the game of golf,” wrote Stephenson. “I hope, as this board moves forward, it will comprehensively rethink its governance model and keep its options open to evaluate alternative sources of capital beyond the current framework agreement.”

The PGA Tour has not yet commented on Stephenson’s resignation.

In early June, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf agreed to drop litigation against one another. Considering the animosity between the two leagues for the past year, it was one of the most surprising sports announcements of 2023.

Jay Monahan returning to PGA Tour commissioner duties soon

It’s been a wild summer for the PGA Tour and for commissioner Jay Monahan. Recently, he suffered from a “medical situation” that took him away from his duties within the league.

Fortunately, he’ll be back in his commissioner role soon. He released a statement, saying he’ll be back on July 17.

“Thank you for your support and leadership these past few weeks. I am happy to report that I am returning to my role as PGA Tour Commissioner effective July 17th, 2023,” the statement read.

“I am deeply sorry that I haven’t been able to be with you during this time. The last two years have been grueling for us all. I experienced that toll personally in the days following the announcement of our framework agreement and encountered adverse impacts on my health. With the support of my family and thanks to world class medical care, my health has improved dramatically.

“Over the last several years, as we’ve confronted challenges that called the PGA Tour’s future into question, we have devoted every ounce of energy to securing a stable path forward for our organization. With the framework agreement with DP World Tour and PIF, we are on a path to accomplish this goal. Should we be able to reach a definitive agreement, we can rest assured that the PGA TOUR will continue to lead and shape the game for the future. Beyond that, we will have the ability to invest in our players and communities like never before.”

The post Veteran PGA Tour board member resigns over concerns about LIV deal appeared first on On3.