Tiger Woods Voices Discontent Over PGA Tour’s Saudi Agreement

Golf legend Tiger Woods has voiced his frustration over the PGA Tour’s unexpected agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, expressing his discontent with how the situation unfolded. The 15-time major winner broke his silence on the matter during a media session at this week’s Hero World Challenge.

Woods admitted to being taken aback by the tour’s sudden announcement, stating, “Well, going back to that, I would say that my reaction was surprised, as I’m sure a lot of the players were taken back by it, by what happened. So quickly without any input or any information about it, it was just thrown out there.”

The golf icon expressed not only surprise but also irritation with the handling of the framework agreement. “We were very frustrated with what happened, and we took steps going forward to ensure that the player involvement was not going —we were not going to be left out of the process like we were,” Woods revealed.

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In response to feeling left in the dark during the negotiation of the framework agreement in late May and early June, Woods, along with a group of 41 players, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Justin Thomas, sent a letter to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. The letter outlined specific steps that needed to be taken immediately regarding the tour’s governance, with one crucial demand being more transparency.

To address this concern, Woods has taken a proactive step by joining the PGA Tour Policy Board. His inclusion in the board is part of a broader effort by the tour to provide transparency measures with its membership.

When questioned about his decision to join the board, Woods reiterated his frustration about being kept in the dark, stating, “I think the overall emotion is, we can’t let that happen again. How do we do that? Having six player directors so we control the board and we control what we’re going to do. We’re not going to have what transpired in a few months without our involvement again.”

Now positioned as an influential figure in the negotiation process, Woods was asked about his opinion on the direction of the deal. His response was mixed, indicating that despite his involvement, the road ahead remains uncertain.

Source: Golf Digest