The PLAYERS: Xander Schauffele sounds off on PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan

After PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke to the press for the first time since August, Xander Schauffele was next in line in the media room.

The press conference lasted less than a minute, but Mr. Schauffele immediately began asking questions about Mr. Monaghan’s leadership.

“I think we’ll start with something easy,” Schauffele said with a smile.

“Trust is such a gentle thing that words are words. In my book, [Monahan has] It’s a long road to gaining the trust of the members…I’m sure he has the support of the board because they were making some decisions with him, but personally… , he has a long way to go. ”

Schauffele had previously made similar comments.

Last summer, ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open, Schauffele admitted he had lost faith in Monaghan. At the time, the commissioner was on leave to address concerns arising from the PGA Tour framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), a beneficiary of LIV Golf.

“I don’t trust people easily,” Schauffele said in July. “He had trust from me, and now that trust is much less. So I’m not alone when I say that.”

A number of other experts have expressed similar sentiments within the past year, including Jordan Spieth and Scottie Schaefer.

And they have a reason to do so. Before signing with PIF, Monaghan touted his tour commitments while disparaging LIV Golf and everything it stands for. He also stood by the families of 9/11, asking players on a live broadcast in 2022, “Have you ever had to apologize for playing on the PGA Tour?”

Then, behind everyone’s backs, Monaghan and a select few PGA Tour leaders signed a deal with PIF, hoping to bring the game back together.

It didn’t sit well with the players, and it still doesn’t, almost a year later.

Still, there are limits to what Schauffele can control.

“To be honest, I haven’t really thought about what makes me feel good about this whole thing,” Schauffele added.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

“Like I said [at The Sentry in Maui]I’ve really put my head in the sand, and what makes me feel better is holding up this trophy [at The PLAYERS] on sunday. I haven’t given much thought to how to alleviate the suffering for our members as a whole. ”

Over the past few years, Monaghan has changed the structure of several events. Known as the signature event of the 2024 season, these tournaments feature high prize money, limited fields, and often no cuts. The Arnold Palmer Invitational recently served as his fourth iteration of this concept this season.

However, these changes have not affected Schauffele’s approach to event preparation.

“I don’t think my preparation and thoughts are any different than before we split the tour,” Schauffele said.

“I don’t see as many of the players I was used to seeing when I first went on tour. So that aspect is different. But my day-to-day is pretty much the same. I still go to these events like I used to. We are preparing for it and trying to win.”

Despite all these changes and dislikes in the professional game, Schauffele still enjoys going to work every day. He loves golf. He loves his job, and at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to him.

“It’s the best job in the world for me to come and do my job and fail and then try again or hit a good shot and validate it,” Schauffele said.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.