HONOLULU — You wouldn’t consider Adam Scott, one of the vital reserved and even-keeled people in golf, as somebody who likes to “stir the pot,” so to talk, on issues associated to the PGA Tour and the sport generally.
Possibly that’s partly as a result of he’s by no means been able to take action. Till now.
The amiable Australian star confirmed on Friday that he has agreed to affix the tour’s Participant Advisory Council, a 16-player committee that consults with and makes suggestions to the tour’s Coverage Board (board of administrators) and Commissioner Jay Monahan. Scott joined the PGA Tour in 2003, has 14 victories amongst 28 worldwide titles, together with the 2012 Masters Match, and is 42 years outdated, however he has by no means earlier than served on the PAC.
He felt that it was time. As a result of he was requested. And since, properly, it’s an attention-grabbing time within the sport with the tour locked in a aggressive battle, to not point out a authorized battle, with the upstart LIV Golf League. It’s no secret that Scott was recruited to affix the Saudi-backed circuit run by fellow Aussie Greg Norman, however his need to reinforce his document with extra majors outweighed the attract of a profitable assured contract.
By extension, contributing to the tour as one thing greater than only a widespread participant and gallery draw appealed to him.
“I am extra desirous about what the tour is planning on doing with the tour than how we’re combating a lawsuit. I couldn’t care much less about that to be sincere,” Scott mentioned Friday on the Sony Open in Hawaii after he strung collectively birdies on his closing three holes for a four-under 66 at Waialae Nation Membership to finish 36 holes in five-under 135. “I am extra desirous about what the way forward for the tour seems to be like. I satisfied myself that it was price diving into that to see what is going on on.”
Scott, ranked thirty seventh on this planet, mentioned it’s a good evaluation to consider he has purchased into the route the tour goes, with a number of high-paying “elevated” occasions recognized this 12 months that ought to carry collectively the highest gamers frequently and extra bonus cash out there within the Participant Influence Program to the tune of $100 million.
Nevertheless, he mentioned that it might be a mistake to learn an excessive amount of into his determination to affix the PAC.
“I feel seeing Rory [McIlroy] taking a management position, I really feel, doubtlessly, like a number of different notable gamers—if I can name myself a notable participant—can help him transferring issues within the route it appears to be,” he mentioned.
“It is an necessary time for the tour to type of map out the following decade and past, what enjoying the PGA Tour type of is working in the direction of and what that appears like,” he continued. “In addition to everybody out right here most likely desires to know, full schedule and past. However it’s a essential, essential … it is only a time of change. And, yeah, massive selections are going to be made and so they should be the appropriate ones.”
The complete membership of the Participant Advisory Council is predicted to be introduced by the tour within the subsequent few days.
“I do not thoughts stirring the pot, if that must be stirred in dialog in these sorts of [meeting] rooms,” Scott mentioned. “Simply to let everybody assume a bit of extra.”