The PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council (PAC) has been announced! It features a dream team of golfing greats like Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler. This 16-member council acts as a think tank for the policy board, giving members a voice in the Tour’s leadership. With the Tour navigating negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, a DOJ probe, and private equity additions, the PAC has a big job ahead.

One member of the PAC who’s particularly eager to get to work is Gary Woodland. After undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2023, Woodland is feeling physically and mentally ready to take on the challenges facing the Tour. “First, physically I can do it now,” he said. “The last couple of years I didn’t have any chance to do it. I didn’t have the energy. I couldn’t have done it with the way I felt.” Woodland is also motivated by the desire to be part of the conversation as the Tour navigates its current challenges. “We’re also in a big position right now. We [the Tour] have a lot of crap going on. A lot of changes going on and to be, somewhat, in the room is a nice thing.”

Woodland is particularly keen to address the Tour’s image problem, which has taken a hit in recent years. He’s backing Justin Thomas’s calls for players to be more engaging with media partners, even if it’s not a popular move among some pros. “We need to do it,” Woodland said. “With everything that’s happened the last couple of years the Tour has been in a tough spot and I think from an image standpoint it has been in a tough spot… We all want this to work, we all want this to be better. We all want to be good partners with our media partners, with our sponsors. We all want this to work.”

He’s right, of course – and it’s refreshing to see players like Woodland and Thomas taking a proactive approach to addressing the Tour’s challenges. However, not everyone on the PAC is on the same page. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler recently pushed back against Thomas’s memo, which called for players to engage more with media partners. Scheffler, who has always been known for his straightforward and honest approach to media interactions, seems to be saying that he’s already doing enough. “I always come in and do a press conference each week,” he explained.

“I very rarely will ever turn down interviews after the round. I think being open and honest when you’re answering questions is always a good thing.” But Scheffler isn’t the only golfer who’s gone against Justin Thomas’s memo.

Dylan Wu has differing thoughts on Thomas’s memo

PGA Tour pro Dylan Wu recently spoke out against Thomas’s call for players to be more media-friendly, but his comments took an unexpected turn. Wu initially tweeted his support for a memo sent by Charley Hoffman, which he felt was more detailed and thoughtful than Thomas’s. However, he also took a jab at Thomas, referencing a past incident where Thomas was caught using a homophobic slur.

Wu’s comments sparked a backlash, and he eventually deleted his original tweet and apologized for his words. “Instead of taking a shot at a fellow player, I should have instead highlighted that I agree 100% with Charley and his email was spot on,” Wu tweeted. It’s clear that Wu regretted his decision to take a personal shot at Thomas, and instead wanted to focus on the issue at hand.

The drama highlights the ongoing debate within the golf world about the role of players in engaging with the media. While some, like Thomas, believe that players should be more forthcoming and media-friendly, others, like Scheffler and Wu, seem to be pushing back against this idea. As the golf world continues to evolve, it’s clear that these kinds of debates will only continue to heat up. Do you think golfers should be more media-friendly, or is it unfair to expect them to be entertainers as well as athletes? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!