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Tiger Woods has become the latest addition to the PGA Tour Policy Board, taking on the role of Players Director and bringing the total number of Players Directors to six.
On Tuesday, August 1, the PGA Tour announced its decision to meet a longstanding demand from players, granting them increased influence on the PGA Tour policy board. This decision came in the wake of the Tour's merger deal with the Public Investment Fund, a move that caught many players off guard.
Many professionals expressed their dissatisfaction with Tour Director Jay Monahan, either due to being kept in the dark or being informed at the last moment prior to a significant decision.
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On Monday, July 31, a group of 41 professionals, including Tiger Woods, penned a letter to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, demanding a greater say in the tour's decision-making processes.
Prominent names such as Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, and others were part of this group. The PGA Tour responded swiftly and announced the appointment of Tiger Woods within 24 hours.
Previously, the PGA Tour Policy Board comprised five Player Directors, five Independent Directors, and the PGA of America Director. With the inclusion of Tiger Woods, Player Directors now hold the majority on the policy board.
The other five Player Directors are Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati, and Webb Simpson.
The Independent Directors are led by Chairman Ed Herlihy and include Mary Meeker, Jimmy Dunne, Mark Flaherty, and a yet-to-be-announced replacement for Randall Stephenson. PGA of America Director John Lindert is the 12th member.
Since the PGA Tour-PIF deal was announced on June 6, several players have voiced their opinions regarding the controversial deal. Cantlay had said that it was natural to be upset after being kept in the dark before any important deal.
"I think anytime that you’re left in the dark on a decision that potentially affects you massively, that could easily make you upset," he said, as per SB Nation.
Rahm expressed that there was a sense of betrayal among the players regarding the PGA Tour management. Schauffele mentioned that he no longer trusted Monahan as much as he used to. Similarly, Scheffler felt that there was a lack of clarity regarding the ongoing events, which was causing concern.
He was quoted as saying via the Golf Channel:
"They keep saying it's a player-run organization, and we don't really have the information that we need."
With players now holding the majority, and particularly with the influential presence of someone like Tiger Woods on the Policy Board, it is guaranteed that there will be no surprise deals like the PGA-PIF deal in the future.
Will Tiger Woods play at the Wyndham Championship?
The 47-year-old golfer will not be competing at the 2023 Wyndham Championship, which commences on Thursday, August 3, at Sedgefield Country Club.
Tiger Woods has been out of action since the third round of the 2023 Masters. Following his withdrawal from Augusta National, he underwent subtalar fusion surgery which brought about the premature end of his 2022–23 season. He played only two events this season.
