Ernie Els rips PGA-PIF deal: Leadership ‘has to change’

Count Ernie Els among those unhappy with the PGA Tour decision to enter into a framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and LIV Golf.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated at The 151st Open Championship, Els criticized PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and said the board should step down in the wake of the surprise deal announced last month.

"If this happened in my day, in my prime, there's no way (Monahan stays) around," the South African said Thursday. "No way. And the board has to change. You do (expletive) like this. I'm sorry, it's not right.

"Talk to us, tell us what you're going to do, plan on negotiating. Don't just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we're all going to say yes? You're affecting people's lives. You're affecting the professional game. It's just so bad."

The PGA Tour told few stakeholders that it was negotiating with representatives of LIV Golf, funded by the PIF, earlier this year. The June 6 announcement came as a surprise to top players on either side of the schism. Even LIV CEO Greg Norman was only informed minutes before Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan appeared on CNBC for an interview announcing the planned alliance.

Els, 53, said he knows Al-Rumayyan after playing in some tournaments in the Middle East during his career.

"They love the game. But (LIV) is circus golf. That's not where I stand," Els said. "Team golf doesn't work. It works maybe in a two-month, three-month happy season. Get these guys together, get teams together and play around the world. But (then) play real golf."

The World Golf Hall of Famer wishes the PGA Tour met with Al-Rumayyan "from the get-go" when the Saudis were interested in bankrolling a world golf league before the LIV-Norman project began.

"Do we play ball with him? Does he come in at a different rate, maybe a smaller investment, see if they are the right partner?" Els said. "Not just come in and take over world golf. That's just ridiculous. Need to slow things down."

Els is a former World No. 1 who won four majors championships in his career, including The Open in 2002 and 2012.