‘Jay [Monahan] Is a Good Man’: Jack Nicklaus Fires Back at Critics Amid PGA Tour-PIF Merger Chaos

If one were to look back at who took the biggest hit on the PGA Tour in terms of reputation, it’d be Jay Monahan. From being bombarded with accusations of betrayal to finding fault with him for not meeting the merger deadline, the commissioner has indubitably taken a lot of criticism. But don’t worry now: Enter Jack Nicklaus. For he did not come empty-handed but with words of support for the official, once again!

In an interview, the 83-year-old went ahead to express his views on LIV Golf and its effect on the Tour. However, while doing so, he made sure to stand up for Monahan, all the while calling him nothing short of a “good man”!

Jack Nicklaus opens up about LIV Golf and Jay Monahan

The 18-time major winner sat down in an episode of the I Can Fly podcast to talk about how the Saudi-backed league “woke up the PGA Tour a little bit.” Adding on, he conveyed how he doesn’t think the men’s circuit can “sustain” what is going on while expressing the need for the tour and the commissioner to bring “things together.”

Continuing with his response, Nicklaus went ahead to say, “I think Jay is a good man,” as he recounted a talk he had with the official a while back on the state of the whole deal. Moreover, he also mentioned how he “took a pretty bad rap” all because of everything that transpired, which was “beyond his scope.” 

The 73-time PGA Tour champ also brought in the likes of Jimmy Dunne and Ed Hurley. “They are good men,” said the legend before continuing, “I think they’d understand what’s going on and they understand business better.” Well, if everything does go right, it would exactly be as the senior pro stated, “I think the game of golf will come out the better in the end.”

Was this the first time he extended a hand to Monahan? Nicklaus had expressed his support for the commissioner earlier as well while dubbing his actions as being “in the best interest of golf and the Tour.”

Nicklaus standing up for Monahan

The 9-time European Tour champ took to Golf Central to mention how “this is good for the game of golf,” while alluding to the merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. Moreover, commenting on the official and his actions, he said, “Everything Jay’s done has been in the best interest of golf and the Tour.”

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He called the Saudi-backed league a “powerful addition” to the game of golf. What’s more, he even pointed out how the PIF-funded circuit has “impacted a lot more” than what was initially thought. Guess even the legend of the game was surprised by the alternate tour. Nevertheless, he hasn’t shied away from backing up Monahan’s decisions but has just one thought in mind: the future of golf!

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