Jay Monahan Built What Secured PGA Tour’s Future but He Won’t Be Remembered for It

Jay Monahan may be eyeing retirement in 2026, but until then, he’s neck-deep in controversy—and there’s no lifeboat in sight. The PGA Tour Commissioner has found himself under fire from all directions, and for more than a few reasons. From his early refusal to engage with the Saudis to the hardline stance of banning LIV Golf defectors (a ban that still holds), Monahan’s decisions have left many in the golf world fuming. Add to that the surprise introduction of the 2023 Framework Agreement—just months after telling players, “Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?”—and it’s no wonder critics are calling him out.

Then, of course, you have the Tour’s tax return. In 2023 alone, the Tour commissioner earned $23 million, including $12.1M bonus, $2.5M in post-retirement benefits, and $6.7M in long-term incentive compensation. And, as per the same report by Sportico, these shocking numbers came despite Monahan’s base salary set at $1,887,096. His 2023 salary would have placed him in the top 80 on the money list — the same way his 2020 earnings ($14.1M) would have placed him above pros like Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm, among others.

So, yes — the criticism directed at Jay Monahan isn’t without merit. And judging by those eye-watering compensation figures, it’s safe to say he was well-paid to weather the storm. But amid all the heat and headlines, it’s easy to forget that Monahan has also played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Tour. Take PGA Tour University, for instance — a program launched in 2020 through a partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Designed to rank players based on their final two years of collegiate performance, PGA Tour U has fast-tracked rising stars like Ludvig Åberg, Luke Clanton, and Michael Thorbjornsen onto the big stage — and the golf world has taken notice.

And although most fans tend to overlook the impact of this particular program, a particular PGA Tour pro gushed about it. In a recent interview on The Smylie Show, Harris English acknowledged this initiative by first lamenting that it wasn’t present during his college years. “That’s just brutal,” English says of Q School, “It’s different. I mean, it’s how it should be, of like, the best college players should have a bit of a pathway or a head start or get their foot in the door on a place to play, and that’s what we didn’t have.” 

Harris English points to fellow PGA Tour pro Brian Harman as a prime example of how brutal the Q-School grind can be—even for proven talent. Despite four PGA Tour wins and a Ryder Cup appearance, Harman once had to endure the “nightmare” of Q-School. English summed it up perfectly: “You could go win four or five tournaments on the mini tours, and if you don’t play good one week in the fall for Q School, you’re out, and you have to try it again next year.”

So, how does the Q-school work? Well, it is a multi-stage process that begins with pre-qualifying in September, followed by First Stage in October, Second Stage in November and early December, and culminates in the Final Stage in northeast Florida in mid-December. The top performers get their Tour cards. Of course, this is slightly different from the PGA Tour U program, which even Rory McIlroy praised last month, saying, “That’s the future of the tour,” McIlroy said. “I love that PGA Tour U program.”

Now, what’s going on with the PGA Tour U program, and how does it work? The program ranks seniors based on their performance in eligible tournaments, including NCAA Division-I events and select professional tournaments. The top 20 players in the final ranking earn membership, with the top spot securing a PGA TOUR card, the next 9 spots earning Korn Ferry Tour membership, and spots 6-20 qualifying for PGA TOUR Americas membership.

Now, when we are talking about that, how can we not talk about Aberg – one of the most notable names coming out of this program? After topping the PGA Tour U ranking in 2023, he turned pro in June that year and achieved remarkable milestones: joining the European Ryder Cup team, winning his first PGA Tour title at the RSM Classic, and breaking into the world’s top 10 for the first time in March 2024. In essence, it proved to be a great initiative by Jay Monahan, yet not the only one.

The giant numbers working in favor of the PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has masterfully steered the Tour through turbulent waters, emerging with a financial powerhouse. By March, he inked 14 sponsorship deals worth $400 million, a staggering 143% year-over-year increase. This impressive growth catapulted the Tour’s total sponsor commitments to nearly $4 billion, secured through 2035.

Further solidifying the Tour’s financial momentum, Monahan has brokered a potential $3 billion deal with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of billionaire sports team owners, to invest in PGA Tour Enterprises. Other notable deals include Truist and Baycurrent joining as new sponsors, while Coca-Cola, RSM, and Hero MotoCorp extended their partnerships.

Under Monahan’s leadership, the PGA Tour has also seen a surge in new partnerships, with 13 brands joining last year alone. Notable additions include ProCore, OnePassword, and Blackstone, taking on key roles as title sponsor, Presidents Cup sponsor, and Official Marketing Partner, respectively. Renewals, such as ServPro, and new deals like Stanley 1913 as official Insulated Drinkware partner, further prove that his tenure wasn’t all in vain.

In conclusion, although Jay Monahan’s tenure as PGA Tour Commissioner has been marred by back-to-back controversies, he has also played a pivotal role in shaping the Tour’s future. And that is something undeniable, as the actions prove it. So, even if Monahan’s exit is welcomed, he will still be remembered.