Golf Australia – April 2018

EXCLUSIVE

W

hen Jay Monahan took over the

role of PGA Tour Commissioner

in January of 2017, his

predecessor, Tim Finchem, who was in

charge of the tour for 22 years, described

the Irish-American as ‘‘absolutely the right

guy” to replace him and “so ready to go

that he had to get out of his way”. For sure,

if Monahan needed any more pressure in

filling the shoes of a man who presided over

the Tour’s most prosperous period ever,

he got it.

The 46-year-old’s path to the top of the

American golf scene is intriguing but similar to

the ones trod by those before him. Joining the

PGA Tour in 2008 from Fenway Sports Group,

where he was in control of sales, Monahan’s fi rst

move was to become Executive Director of The

Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s fl agship

event. Two years later he took the role of Senior

Vice President for Business Development before

becoming Executive Vice President and Chief

Marketing Ocer in March 2013 and then Deputy

Commissioner to Finchem the following year.

With an array of skills and expertise gained

from working in a number of diferent positions

within the PGA Tour, it’s fair to say walking into

the Commissioner’s hot seat, Monahan was

In an exclusive interview withGolf Australia

magazine, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan

talks about his global vision for the Tour, attracting

social media audiences and the importance of a

healthy Tiger Woods.

WORDSJACK MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHYGETTY IMAGES

62 APRIL 2018 | golf australia