Patrick Cantlay is one of the best golfers in the world – but based on the often-controversial air that surrounds him, he’s often not talked about as much as other star players. One thing that has put his name in the news, though? His role in the LIV-PGA saga, both as a potential defection to LIV Golf as well as a key cog in the ongoing negotiations between the two organizations
welcome back to golf extra Patrick Klay
is one of the best golfers in the world
but based on the often controversial air
that surrounds him he’s often not talked
about as much as other star players one
thing that has put his name in the news
though his role in the live PGA Saga
both as a potential defection to live
golf as well as a key cog in the ongoing
negotiations between the two
organizations don’t forget to hit that
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videos just like this one now let’s get
right into Patrick klay’s recent
comments about his role in the live PGA
debate for all his incredible ability
having spent much of the last year in
the top 10 of the world golf rankings
and currently sitting in the fifth spot
in the owgr rankings Patrick Klay hasn’t
actually won a professional golf
tournament since the 2022 BMW
Championship he did rack up five top
five finishes during the 2023 season but
for a player of his caliber this season
can only be viewed as some degree of a
disappointment Klay agrees noting in a
recent profile that his last year was at
least a little disappointing because I
felt like I had multiple opportunities
to win and I didn’t win at all and
that’s always the goal despite that
seemingly negative view point Klay
remains positive that his overall strong
play will soon translate to Victory
saying the good news is I played a lot
of really good golf and the wins are a
function of putting yourself in that
position so I fully expect if I put
myself in that position as many times
next year I could win multiple times
with that being said Klay doesn’t
necessarily have fans screaming his name
from The Grand stands to the extent that
the other players do his glacially slow
playing Pace in particular hasn’t
endeared himself to the golfing
community and Klay is well aware in the
Golf Magazine profile Klay said about
his playing Pace I do think I take a
very methodical approach to golf well
and to life in general but my goal out
there is to be as efficient and thorough
as I possibly can to shoot the lowest
scores possible I’m trying to find ways
to be more efficient without being less
thorough ask if the fact that TV cameras
have a tendency to linger on him as he
stands over the ball poised to hit a
shot contributes to these negative
feelings from fans can’t lay agreed
saying that definitely could be I don’t
watch myself on TV much if at all but
look I’m out there just trying to focus
as much as I possibly can to execute I
mean I only get one chance at being the
best golfer I can be for a certain
amount of time competing is maybe the
most favorite thing I’ve done no matter
what I’ve been doing since I was a very
little kid and so when I’m out there if
I’m stoic or if I take a little longer
over the ball I want people to know I’m
just trying to focus as hard as I can
and hit the best shot possible a lack of
fan support on the PGA tour could very
well have been a factor in the departure
of other former golf villains such as
Patrick Reed to live golf something that
might have played into the extensive
rumors linkoln can’t lay to live golf he
address these rumors in the golf profile
saying about the decision to join Liv
it’s a personal calculation based on
your values your priorities Etc so I
don’t think it’s a surprise that there’s
a certain type of player that’s tended
to go over there on the whole for me I
have no plans on joining Liv I don’t
plan on joining Liv I see myself playing
on the PGA tour that’s a strong response
and he backed it up further by saying I
declined offers pre and post joining the
board and the most recent offer I got I
declined in the same meeting that my
management team brought it to me so
we’ve established that Klay won’t be
joining the live tour anytime soon at
least if his comments are to be believed
perhaps a bigger Scandal has surrounded
Klay and his links to live though namely
the accusations which have been levied
at him by Major media Publications like
Sports Illustrated that he is now in
control of the PGA Tour after joining
the policy board in the midst of live
merger
negotiations specifically the SI piece
included the following excerpt referring
to the aftermath of John ROM’s decision
to join live what has happened since
ROM’s departure should outrage the PGA
Tours Rank and file it is a story of
political maneuvering and bruised egos
obstructing common sense with Patrick
Klay seizing control and somehow turning
himself into arguably the most powerful
person on the PGA tour including the
commissioner Klay has formed an alliance
with fellow tour policy board members
Tiger Woods and Jordan spe and that
group along with Colin Neville of rain
capital is now driving the tours
negotiations with PF and other investors
for klay’s part he maintains that his
role on the PGA tour policy board is
strictly For the Love of the Game saying
in the golf profile I care a lot about
the PGA Tour I grew up wanting to play
on the PGA tour and win tournaments on
that PGA Tour and I’ve been fortunate
enough to have done that so when I
joined the board I viewed that as a
responsibility it was important for me
to take that very seriously and I’ve
taken that very seriously he continued
and I think it’s important to take it
seriously my goal being on the PGA tour
policy board is to represent all the
members both current and future to the
best of my ability and so that’s what
I’ve been trying to do that’s what all
the player directors have been trying to
do and we’ve been working really closely
together over the last many months as a
unit to make the best Collective
decisions that represent the interest of
all the members when asked to comment on
further accusations that he was
operating solely in the interest of the
tour’s elite players like himself
can’t Le was adamant saying with a
membership as wide ranging as the PGA
Tour it’s to be expected that there are
different perspectives right now we’re
fortunate to have a nice mix of player
directors that represent different
factions of the tour and that’s why it’s
been so important for us to work so
closely together and have those
conversations so we can come to the best
decision for all members collectively
both current and future then he
addressed the rumors of his silent cud
directly seemingly referencing the
Sports Illustrated article when saying I
think if you just look at the facts that
are out there it would be impossible for
any one player to take control I mean it
would be impossible for all the players
together to take control we only have
half the seats on the board and any
major vote around any of these things
we’ve been talking about requires a
2third majority and also considering
that the tour has hired the Titan
Investment Bank Allen and Company and
given the tour has been driving
discussion since even before the
framework agreement was announced I mean
given that set of facts it’s just
impossible for that to be the case
Jordan SPI a fellow policy board member
was just as adamant in his defense of
Klay after the story first broke he told
the Associated Press by phone shortly
after the SI article regarding the
rumors of klay’s influence on the PGA
tour there’s no fact to it it’s been
very Collective since I’ve jumped on
it’s not even a thing we’re looking for
the best outcome for the players as a
whole and it’s six persons as player
directors SP admitted that Klay might be
an expected Target due to his un usual
personality but maintained that Klay was
looking out solely for the best interest
of the PGA Tour saying he’s very smart
and he’s very measured in everything he
says he doesn’t waste words and a lot of
times that comes across as demanding in
no way shape or form does he control
anything he wants objectivity when it
seems that isn’t the case he like the
rest of us we are all in agreement we
may disagree on how when and why but our
Collective Duties are to represent the
players deal No Deal multiple partners
one thing that isn’t Up For Debate
Patrick Klay will always have some form
of controversy and criticism following
him whether on the course or off of it
all that we as golf fans can do is watch
and wait to see what waves he will make
next whether that’s by holding up a
victory trophy or making giant waves
behind the scenes in PGA live
negotiations like always Klay will
remain an enigma comment with your
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more content like this we’ll catch you
in the next one
