PGA Tour's Jay Monahan defends discipline for LIV Golf defectors

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PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan defended his decision to indefinitely suspend players who jumped to play for LIV Golf before the start of the RBC Canadian Open.

Monahan joined the CBS broadcast of the RBC Canadian Open Sunday. Jim Nantz asked Monahan about some of the backlash some golfers have received for joining LIV Golf, specifically pointing toward the reaction from those who survived the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Players have been accused of giving into Saudi Arabia’s "sportswashing" and downplaying the kingdom’s human rights violations.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan leaves after speaking with sports commentator Jim Nantz about the LIV Golf tour during the fourth round of the Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club in Toronto Sunday, June 12, 2022. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

"I talked to players. I’ve had a player meeting, and I’ve talked to a number of players individually for a long period of time. And I think you’d have to be living under a rock to not know that there are significant implications," Monahan said.

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"And I would ask any player that has left or any player that would consider leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?"

The memo to PGA Tour members was sent as LIV Golf’s first tournament teed off in London. The Saudi-backed league will feature stars like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Kevin Na, Lee Westwood and others.

Monahan thanked those who committed to this weekend's RBC Canadian Open and addressed his letter to "those players who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully