The PGA looked to be in trouble recently, as several big-name golfers, such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, left the Tour for LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed rival league that is flush with cash. But the Tour came out swinging on Thursday, with commissioner Jay Monahan announcing a suspension for any current and future players who desert the PGA for the Saudi-backed league. 2022 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy shared their first reactions to the PGA's suspension announcement, per Sports Illustrated.
“I'm pleased,” Justin Thomas said after shooting 1-under 69. “I think anybody that's shocked clearly hasn't been listening to the message that Jay and everybody's been putting out. (Players) took that risk going into it, whether they thought it was a risk or not.
“Jay’s been pretty transparent in terms of he’s just going to act within the tournament regulations and the rules that are set for a PGA Tour member,” said Rory McIlroy, a member of the PGA Tour's policy board. “All he’s doing is basically going by the book.”
Neither Thomas, who said he was “pleased”, or McIlroy, who said Monahan is “going by the book”, seemed surprised by the PGA's decision. If anything, these two stars were expecting the Tour to come down hard on their peers who jumped ship for LIV Golf.
Thomas went on to add that he's sure his interactions with any golfers who left for LIV will be “awkward.” It could be even more awkward after his- and McIlroy's- latest comments.
Follow Us
Subscribe