well equipped for the challenges he would face.
However, now, 15 months in, has the position
lived up to the billing?
“There aren’t many sure things in this world,
but my answer to this question would be that
I’ve loved every aspect of the job,” he told
Golf Australia. “Even the biggest challenges –
fi nding solutions for complex problems – has
been energising.
“I feel I was well-prepared to handle this
position, having served under one of the great
commissioners in sports, Tim Finchem. But,
ultimately, it’s not about me, it’s about we. We
have an outstanding team in place that will help
take on the many challenges going forward. I
certainly will enjoy that in the future.”
One of the challenges facing Monahan, and
indeed, the world of golf at the moment is fi nding
ways to attract new fans to the game from home
and, more importantly, abroad as the battle to
capture the leisure time of modern sports fans
becomes a harder and harder task.
Over the years the PGA Tour has always been
viewed as a conservative Tour, whose interests
primarily lie in expanding its infl uence in
America, fi rst and foremost, rather than around
the world. However, today, the PGA Tour has
o ces in London, Beijing and Tokyo. It has feeder
Tours in China, South America and Canada,
and hosts tournaments in Mexico, South Korea,
Malaysia and the Dominican Republic. It seems
globalisation is something the PGA Tour is now
keen to embrace and use to its advantage.
“When you examine what’s going on across thesports landscape – NFL games in London, NBA
games in China, MLB teams have opened their
seasons in Japan – you might suggest that golf
is following suit,” Monahan says. “But golf has
always been a global sport, consider the millions
of miles fl own by Gary Player, the Australian
Opens won by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer
or Sam Snead’s historic tour across South Africa.
“Those players were a precursor to where
we are today, a worldwide membership with 84
members from 25 countries outside the United
States, with tournaments broadcast to more
than one billion households in 226 countries
and territories in 23 languages. With further
investment in technology, we will continue to
engage our fans throughout the world in new and
creative ways.”
As Monahan alludes to, the PGA Tour in
recent years has put a lot of its focus into a new
digital approach with the aim of alluring more
fans around the globe. As well as launching PGA
Tour Live, a subscription-based digital platform
service, and forming streaming partnerships with
Twitter, the Tour has also delved into other ways
of enhancing the fan experience.
For example, last year, Tour rules were altered
which allowed players to stream videos and post
photos during practice rounds and pro-am events
on approved social media platforms to help them
build more of a rapport with their followers.
While, at The Players Championship, on
the iconic 17th hole, Virtual Reality, a
computer-generated scenario which makes you
feel as if you are standing on the course as theaction unfolds, was used for the fi rst time ever
and deemed a huge success.
As the European Tour and its chief executive,
Keith Pelley, have introduced new initiatives in
the form of short and exciting tournaments like
World Super 6 Perth, GolfSixes and the Shot
Clock Masters, it’s clear Monahan and the PGA
Tour believe the key to appealing to younger
viewers lies in digital innovation rather than
re-formatted golf.
“We have embraced the digital world, but I’d
suggest it’s to appeal to a wider fan base, not just
younger ones,” Monahan said. “The reality of
today’s world is hard to dismiss; people of all ages
stay connected not only to family and friends
through social media and digital platforms,
but also to sports, news and other forms of
entertainment.
“More and more of our fans are watching and
tracking our tournaments via PGA Tour Live,
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat,
they are streaming broadcasts on their phones
and so our decision to go all-in is a prudent one.
Embracing social media and digital is important
for harvesting young fans, yes, but also for
providing more options for our core fans.”
Although digital innovation is one way golf is
trying to entice new fans, the long-term return of
arguably the game’s most infl uential player, Tiger
Woods, would undoubtedly be the biggest fi llip
golf could ever receive in stimulating interest in
the sport.
Indeed, with some broadcasters reporting
viewing increases as high as 30 and 40 percentMonahan says the PGA Tour
will continue to embrace new
technology in the digital world.64 APRIL 2018 | golf australia