[PHOTO: Kevin C. Cox]
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan heard a smattering of boos when being introduced at the trophy ceremony for Players Championship victor Scottie Scheffler. And it wasn’t the first time.
No, this isn’t the NFL Draft, where it’s almost a game fans play when they boo NFL commissioner Roger Goodell each time he takes the stage to announce a pick during the first round. It’s happened so often over the years there that it’s part of the event.
There is a much more subdued atmosphere at TPC Sawgrass, even though it is the moment when the PGA Tour presents the hardware to the champion of its biggest event.
Mike Tirico, of NBC Sports, hosts the festivities and introduces Monahan, who usually gives the trophy to the winner. This year, however, in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Players, Monahan introduced former commissioner Deane Beman, who was the commissioner 50 years ago and had the original idea to develop the biggest event on the PGA Tour’s calendar. This time, when Tricio mentioned Monahan’s name, the boos were heard loud and clear. See video here:
Jay Monahan not exactly getting a warm welcome pic.twitter.com/zQvbTrvloK
— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) March 17, 2024
This is not the first time. Monahan received more boos last August when CBS Sports’ Amanda Renner asked him to present the FedEx Cup trophy to Viktor Hovland at East Lake in Atlanta.
Monahan, 53, has come under plenty of fire over the past nine months, since he announced on June 6 that the PGA Tour was going to work with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which backs the rival LIV Golf League. Monahan sat in front of media earlier in the week at the Players Championship and was asked numerous questions about the state of the tour, the potential partnership with the PIF and if he believed he was still the man for the job. (A synopsis of that session can be read here.)
