30 June 2023 , 16:57
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PGA Tour star Peter Malnati has brutally hit out at the Tour following their decision to sign a shock agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
The world of golf was left rocked on June 6, after it was confirmed a deal between the PGA Tour and PIF had been agreed, which would see them work in unison with the DP World Tour and their rivals LIV Golf. Following the proposed merger, many have been quick to criticise the PGA Tour's intentions.
The man behind the deal, commissioner Jay Monahan, had been a huge critic of the LIV setup and PIF's investment in the rival circuit since its inception last summer.
12 months on though, Monahan and co have joined forces with the Saudis, something that does not sit right with Malnati. He told Golfweek: "I never wanted this deal to happen. But now that we’re apparently in a position where it was needed for some reason.
"I want to see the PGA Tour succeed and there are smart people that are telling me that this deal is going to set up the PGA Tour for long-term success." A whole host of players were offered lucrative deals to join the breakaway league when it first kicked off in 2022.
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Malnati openly admitted he was not one of those on the LIV shopping list. This however was not a cause for concern for the Tour pro, who wanted 'nothing to do' with the Saudi investment. "It’s still a hard pill to swallow because like I never turned down an offer [from LIV] and never had an offer...
"But even hypothetically had LIV made me a significant offer, it was never on the table for me to accept that offer because I didn’t want to be associated with the Saudis and the PIF. I never would have accepted an offer there. And people always said, ‘Well, everyone has a number.’ I didn’t have a number.
Peter Malnati hit out at the PGA Tour (Getty Images)"So the fact that unbeknownst to any of us that choice was potentially made for us that we’re going to partner with PIF, that was really hard to swallow, for sure." Amid the deal PGA Tour players were called into a player meeting, in which Malnati attended.
Claiming he and his fellow pros felt 'betrayed', he added: "One thing that was very clear is that PGA Tour players feel betrayed and feel like they don’t have the ownership or control of the Tour that they should for a member-owned organization. That was extremely clear and both sides understand that – the player directors in the room and the Tour itself and the independent directors on the board.
"That is very well understood right now and I felt there was some genuine contrition on the part of the Tour, like they understand that the players feel like they have been betrayed, let down and in a position where they have absolutely no control of an organization that they supposedly own."