Jordan Spieth has denied Patrick Cantlay is staging a power grab on the PGA Tour policy board as he commended LIV Golf for signing Jon Rahm.
Jordan Spieth stated that he thought the reports were “funnier” than the pantomime villain from the Ryder Cup, refuting Patrick Cantlay’s attempt to gain influence on the PGA Tour’s policy board.
Sports Illustrated reported that Cantlay, Spieth, and Tiger Woods were spearheading talks to ratify the framework agreement on June 6th in a way that would only benefit the elite players.
In other words, the rank and file membership would be left behind in any agreement signed and sealed with LIV Golf’s financiers, the PIF of Saudi Arabia and potentially some private equity groups.
Spieth denied this was the case in comments to Associated Press on 9 December and even tipped his hat to LIV Golf for signing Jon Rahm.
“It’s a nice play by them,” he told the publication, adding that he still believes the Tour hold the best hand against LIV.
The only problem is, LIV Golf know what cards the North American circuit are holding.
“There’s no fact to it,” Spieth told AP of Cantlay’s alleged power grab. “It’s been very collective since I’ve jumped on. It’s not even a thing.
“We’re looking for the best outcome for the players as a whole, and it’s six persons [as player directors].”
Spieth was alluding to the fact he has replaced Rory McIlroy on the policy board.
McIlroy resigned from his position in late November, citing personal commitments and family reasons.
The Northern Irishman has been quoted in the Irish Independent calling Cantlay ‘a d—‘ as he explained they have never seen eye-to-eye.
Of Rahm’s decision to join the Saudi-funded breakaway, Spieth put forward an interesting theory about the reigning Masters champion.
Spieth said: “I don’t think for him it was the money. I believe he saw two places that neither one was in a great situation right now, and he said, ‘May as well have the money.
“It’s a really nice play by them. I think we hold the best hand, but they know what our hand is. It’s a nice leveraging tool with everything going on.”
It is no secret that LIV have approached all of the top golfers in the world.
To this point Cantlay and his good buddy Xander Schauffele have remained loyal.
It was previously suggested by Golfweek that Cantlay has been rallying against Saudi investment all along as existing PGA Tour incentives won’t benefit him in a way that the continual threat of LIV would.
Eamon Lynch previously wrote of Cantlay:
Patrick Cantlay, who holds himself with the confirmation of a man persuaded he’d be an accomplice at Goldman Sachs on the off chance that he wasn’t just brandishing its logo on his cap, has been attempting to revitalize players against the arrangement with the Saudis, and against individuals from the Visit’s strategy board who architected or support it.
It scarcely should be expressed that his complaints aren’t founded on the ethical quality of managing basic liberties victimizers.
Existing PGA Visit impetuses won’t a lot of advantage Cantlay.
He will not get rich from the Player Effect Program that rewards stars on fan commitment since the main needle he moves is the gas check on his vehicle.
So the rationale of Cantlay’s rebellion is that if LIV vanishes as a danger — a probable event under the arrangement — then players like him have no choices, no influence over the Visit, and no possibilities for the worthwhile payday to which they feel entitled.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth, Speith told AP, adding that he thought the story of his power grab was “a lot funnier than I think Pat did.”
“I think he’s done more on the board for the PGA Tour in the last six months than anyone since Tiger,” he stated. He has been so wonderful for the membership.
“He seems to be the main problem, even though that couldn’t be further from the reality.”
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