Ernie Els blasts PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan for going 'rogue' over shock Saudi move

Two-time Open champion Ernie Els has blasted PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan for keeping players in the dark over the shock move to link up with LIV Golf’s Saudi backers.

Two-time winner Ernie Els tees off on the first hole on day one of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

Speaking after he’d played in the opening round of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool, Els offered his view on a plan to set up a commercial entity involving the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

"If this happened in my day, in my prime, there’s no way he’s around," Els, speaking to Sports Illustrated, said of Monahan. “No way. And the board has to change. You do s*** like this. I’m sorry, it’s not right. Talk to us, tell us what you’re going to do, plan on negotiating.

“Don’t just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we’re all going to say yes? You’re affecting people’s lives. You’re affecting the professional game. It’s just so bad."

Four-time major winner Els said during last year’s Senior Open at Gleneagles that he wasn’t a fan of LIV Golf and that opinion hasn’t changed over the past 12 months.

“This (LIV) is circus golf,” added the South African. “That’s not where I stand. Team golf doesn’t work. It works maybe in a two-month, three-month happy season. Get these guys together, get teams together and play around the world. But (then) play real golf.

"That’s what this thing is all about. That’s what I prided myself on. Like Tiger (Woods) and some of these guys. Playing that type of golf. Getting yourself into majors. And grinding.

"And for these guys (the PGA Tour leadership) to go out there and do what they did, just off the cuff, as a board member, do a deal, nobody knows. The commissioner is supposed to be the guy running our Tour. These board members make a deal or a so-called deal and with no input from the players. It's absolute shambles. I’m worried."

Els continued: "I spent almost 30 years on tour, playing against Tiger ... people don’t mention me but I was there, he needed somebody to beat, There’s a lot of guys who did a lot for this Tour; they helped the Tour and helped build the game. Are you kidding me? And then this bollocks."