The resignation of Rory McIlroy’s ally, Jimmy Dunne, is set to create further tension in the game
: AP
Jimmy Dunne, the PGA Tour executive who first brokered the “framework agreement” with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has quit the board claiming that player power has made his role “utterly superfluous”.
The departure of Rory McIlroy’s ally is sure to create further tension in the game, particularly as Dunne resigned declaring that “no meaningful progress” has been made in the PIF negotiations.
The American multi-millionaire businessman was initially central to the peace talks, but since the players grabbed voting control of the 12-strong policy board, he had been cut out of the negotiations.
“Since the players now outnumber the Independent Directors on the board… I feel like my vote and my role is utterly superfluous,” Dunne wrote in his resignation letter to Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, which was obtained by Sports Illustrated.
Dunne went on to warn against the board turning away PIF because of the wish to punish the players who jumped ship to LIV Golf – in some cases on nine-figured contracts – and because they do not want a global circuit.
“It is crucial for the Board to avoid letting yesterday’s differences interfere with today’s decisions, especially when they influence future opportunities for the Tour,” Dunne said.
“Unifying professional golf is paramount to restoring fan interest and repairing wounds left from a fractured game. I have tried my best to move all minds in that direction.”
Dunne had forged a relationship with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who is also LIV chairman, and it will be interesting to hear what he thinks. Al-Rumayyan became so exasperated with the slowness of proceedings that LIV signed Jon Rahm in a £400 million deal last December.
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