Alright, people, buckle up because we need to talk about PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the $23 million paycheck he took home in 2023. Yes, you read that right—twenty-three MILLION dollars for the guy running a league that’s been caught in more drama than a Real Housewives reunion. If this doesn’t make you spit out your drink, nothing will.
The PGA’s Million-Dollar Question: Why?
Monahan is out here stacking cash like he’s Tiger Woods in his prime, while the average PGA player is barely breaking even. Did you know that the cost of being on the PGA Tour can run a player anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000 a year? Travel, caddies, coaching, entry fees—it all adds up. And unlike Monahan, most guys on Tour don’t have a guaranteed payday.
Miss a few cuts? Tough luck, you’re out money. Lose your Tour card? It’s Korn Ferry time, baby, where the purses are smaller, and the road is longer. But somehow, Monahan gets to line his pockets with enough cash to buy his own golf course.
The Ratings Are Tanking
Let’s talk about the product on the field—or, in this case, the screen. The PGA Tour’s ratings are heading south faster than a snowbird in January. Viewers are tuning out, and the LIV Golf saga split the golf world like a bad breakup. Sure, Netflix’s Full Swing gave the PGA a temporary ratings bump, but that honeymoon is over. Stars like Rory and Rahm are doing their best, but let’s face it: the Tour’s format is stale, and fans are bored. Yet Monahan is still cashing checks like he’s delivering a record-breaking product.
Oh, and let’s not forget the PR disaster when he cozied up to LIV Golf after spending a year trashing them. If you thought Monahan’s payout couldn’t get more insulting, that move made him look like a guy who’ll do anything to keep his golden parachute intact.
CEOs of Similar-Sized Organizations: Not This Rich
Let’s get some context on Monahan’s $23 million payday. The PGA Tour’s annual revenue is estimated at around $1.5 billion. Now, compare that to companies of similar size. The CEO of Southwest Airlines, which also brings in around $1.5 billion annually, made $9.1 million in 2022. Meanwhile, the CEO of Delta Airlines, a much bigger operation, earned $10.5 million. Jay Monahan? He’s raking in more than DOUBLE that, and he’s not running an airline or delivering anything close to their scale. He’s running a golf league that’s been leaking viewers and struggling to keep its players happy.
Let’s be real: If Jay were the CEO of a company with these optics and performance metrics, shareholders would’ve canned him already. But in the cushy world of the PGA, the guy running the show is somehow immune to accountability.
Players Deserve Better
Here’s the kicker: the players—the guys actually hitting the shots, making the highlights, and keeping fans coming back—are the ones getting the short end of the stick. Sure, the top-tier guys like Rory and Scheffler are doing just fine, but what about the middle-of-the-pack players? They’re grinding every week, spending six figures just to show up, while Monahan is out here cashing paychecks like he’s the one making 30-foot putts on Sunday.
And don’t even get me started on the guys losing their Tour cards. One bad season, and you’re toast. No golden parachute, no $23 million cushion—just a long, expensive road back to the big leagues.
Final Thoughts: A Bogey for the PGA
Jay Monahan’s $23 million payday in 2023 is the kind of thing that makes you wonder if anyone at PGA headquarters actually understands optics. Players are struggling, fans are tuning out, and the Tour itself is in desperate need of a makeover. Yet the guy at the top is living large like he’s running Apple or Amazon.
If the PGA wants to stay relevant, maybe it’s time to rethink where all that cash is going. Because right now, the only person winning on this Tour is Jay Monahan.
Someone pass me a beer—I’m going to need it to process this circus.
