'It's A Great Surprise' - PGA Tour Pro 'Thankful' Tiger Woods Is Joining Policy Board
PGA Tour veteran Kevin Streelman is delighted Tiger Woods has agreed to join the Policy Board and feels it's a big boost knowing he'll "have the players' back" in discussions
Kevin Streelman says Tiger Woods joining the PGA Tour Policy Board was “a great surprise” and shows just how much the 15-time Major champion cares about the game.
Streelman is a 16-year veteran of the PGA Tour and a long-time member of the Player Advisory Council so is well versed about the inner workings of the Tour, but says things have changed big time.
The superstars of golf never really got involved in serving on boards and councils behind the scenes, but with all that is happening in modern men’s pro golf all the big guns are now doing their bit.
And none are bigger than Woods, who will now join the PGA Tour’s Policy Board as a Player Director – adding his huge gravitas to proceedings to work for the players throughout negotiations to settle on the final deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Commissioner Jay Monahan responded to calls from players to get Woods involved as they seek clear transparency moving forward – and Streelman says that getting Tiger involved has given everyone a huge boost.
“He (Tiger) reached out to all of us a few days ago and said that he wanted to do a quick phone call with all the PAC members and Player Directors, “ Streelman told Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio.
“We had no idea what to expect but we’re all pleasantly surprise and thankful he’s willing to do this, to step into the governance side of things and to have the players, sponsors and the fans’ back shows that he really cares about our product and the future of it and wants to be involved in governance going forward. I think it’s pretty cool.”
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Streelman has been in and around the governance side of things for 15 years, but says it’s now massively changed with all the big names getting involved.
“I started going on the PAC in 2008/2009 when Phil and Tiger, clearly they spoke with Tim (Finchem, previous PGA Tour commissioner) behind the scenes a great amount, but publicly and being the face of behind the scenes stuff as far as PAC and board membership they weren’t as involved, the superstar side of things.
“Now to see guys like Jordan Spieth coming onto the board – Jon Rahm being on the PAC with Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns – it’s really changed and it just shows how much they care.
"It's just going to make our product as good as possible."@TigerWoods is joining the @PGATOUR Policy Board, a place Kevin Streelman knows well as a member of the PAC.What does it mean? @Streels54 tells Drew & Dre on Gravy & The Sleeze.@thesleezyman | @Andres_Gonzales pic.twitter.com/5yca39wGzXAugust 1, 2023
“For Tiger to do this was not what we were expecting but it’s not even a pleasant surprise, it’s a great surprise and I even think the Tour’s excited for it too.
“It’s just going to make our product as good as possible, try to get some sort of unity and great golf to our fans out there and at the same time knowing everyone has our best interest as a player on Tour is really important as well.”
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
-
Legendary Sports Commentator Puts In $50,000 Bid For Scottie Scheffler's First Car
The World No.1's car is being auctioned, and CBC Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz has made the opening bid
By Mike Hall Published
-
Hero World Challenge Leaderboard And Final Round Live Updates - Scottie Scheffler Leads Justin Thomas By Two After Hot Start
Justin Thomas is searching for a first title since his 2022 PGA Championship success, but has the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim chasing him down
By Matt Cradock Last updated
-
Bryson DeChambeau Ninth Favorite At Pinehurst As PGA Champion Xander Schauffele Trails Rory McIlroy In Early US Open Odds
The bookmakers have released their odds for the next men's Major championship - the US Open - and there are a few eyebrow-raising situations at hand
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Surprising Pro Surges To Second Behind Rory McIlroy In Most Popular PGA Championship Bets 2024
Despite having not yet won a Major, one name has moved past multiple champions like Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in terms of total bet share for the PGA Championship
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
World Wide Technology Championship Purse, Prize Money And Field 2023
PGA Championship hero Michael Block appears as the tournament heads to a new venue
By Mike Hall Published
-
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Purse, Prize Money And Field 2023
Ewen Ferguson defends his title as the DP World Tour heads to the Middle East at Doha Golf Club
By Mike Hall Published
-
Fans Forced To Leave DP World Tour Event Due To High Winds
High winds caused some of the Andalucia Masters' first round to be played behind closed doors due to fears over fan safety
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Top Amateur Follows Ludvig Aberg's Footsteps And Secures PGA Tour Card In College
Gordon Sargent is the first player to earn his Tour card through the new PGA TOUR University Accelerated system
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Rickie Fowler Eyes Up Olympic Games After Ryder Cup Nightmare
The American endured a torrid time in Rome but the experience has motivated him to try and represent the US again next summer
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Phil Mickelson And Ian Poulter Certain Of More High Profile LIV Signings
The two team captains suggest they have already been in contact with several notable players about making the jump in the off-season
By Ben Fleming Published