PGA Tour names replacement for Rory McIlroy on policy board
March 13, 2020; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA; PGA commissioner Jay Monahan speaks to media after the cancellation of the 2020 edition of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. The tournament was cancelled at the conclusion of the first round due to the developing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Rory McIlroy last week announced that he has decided to step down from his position with the PGA Tour’s policy board, and he is being replaced with another major champion.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan wrote a memo to players on Monday morning to inform them that Jordan Spieth will serve the remainder of McIlroy’s term, which runs through the end of 2024.
“Jordan has extensive experience with the Tour’s governance process, having served two years on the Player Advisory Council (2017-18) including PAC chairman in 2018 and three years (2019-21) as a player director,” Monahan wrote, via Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard.
The PGA Tour’s policy board consists of six player directors. Spieth was elected by the other five — Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson. Adam Scott, who is currently the chairman of the Player Advisory Council, will replace Hoffman on the policy board at the start of 2024.
McIlroy said last week that he simply has too much going on in his life at the moment to commit the time needed to the policy board. Some have wondered if McIlroy’s decision to step down had something to do with the Tour’s ongoing negotiations with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
The PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf announced in June that they are merging. McIlroy, who has been one of the most outspoken opponents of LIV Golf, said he was blindsided by the merger and shared a very strong message about it.
Spieth, 30, is one of the more popular players on the PGA Tour. He has won three majors, with the last victory coming at The Open Championship in 2017.
