To say that Ernie Els isn't a fan of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger would be putting it mildly. Ernie Els blasted Commissioner Jay Monahan and PGA Tour leadership at the Open Championship.
Els called out Monahan for coming to an agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund without any input from PGA Tour players. The 53-year-old suggested that the deal with LIV Tour should cost Monahan his job.
“If this happened in my day, in my prime, there's no way he is around,” Els said, via ESPN. “No way. And the board has to change.”
After the shocking merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf became public, Monahan revealed that even the biggest golfers in the world were kept in the dark. The likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy had no idea that the PGA Tour was joined forces with the Saudi-backed rival golf league.
“I'm sorry, it's not right,” Els said. Talk to us, tell us what you're going to do, plan on negotiating. Don't just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we're all going to say yes.
Article Continues Below“You're affecting people's lives. You're affecting the professional game. It's just so bad.”
Els made it clear that he doesn't like the different rules for LIV Golf, which features 54-hole tournaments and players grouped into teams.
“This is circus golf. Team golf doesn't work,” said Els. “It works maybe in a two-month, three-month happy season.
“Get these guys together, get teams together and play around the world. But then play real golf.”