The PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger caused many reactions, mostly negative ones. Many do not understand why the PGA Tour decided to do this, considering how strongly they hold their positions. However, some other things were crucial to the whole story.
9/11 families expressed particular anger after learning about the news of the merger. 9/11 Families United chair Terry Strada is furious and thinks Jay Monahan is doing a terrible thing. Although last year he also criticized Saudi Arabia and the fact that they are “destroying” golf, his views are now the opposite.
“PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation. But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones.
Make no mistake — we will never forget.”- she said.
Terry Strada: Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed
Terry Strada considers this a betrayal. Jay Monahan has criticized LIV Golf and PGA Tour players many times over the last few months for ‘betraying’ their Tour.
However, now everyone will be under one flag, and the question is whether this will also mean reconciliation. “Mr. Monahan talked last summer about knowing people who lost loved ones on 9/11, then wondered aloud on national television whether LIV Golfers ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour.
They do now — as does he. PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed. Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money — it was never to honor the great game of golf”.