Monahan feeling better, to return to tour July 17

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Friday that he will return to his role July 17 after recovering from a medical situation.

“Thank you for your support and leadership these last few weeks,” Monahan wrote in a memo to the tour’s policy board and its players. “With the support of my family and thanks to world class medical care, my health has improved dramatically.

“I am eager to engage with each of you — as well as our players, partners, fans and our PGA TOUR family — to address any questions and protect the game we treasure.”

Monahan has been on leave since June 13, when the PGA Tour announced he was dealing with an unspecified medical issue.

The situation came shortly after Monahan helped broker the surprising alliance between the PGA and DP World tours and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Monahan had battled LIV Golf for some two years while the league funded by the PIF poached top players from the PGA Tour.

The five-page framework agreement sparked concern of a merger. Monahan had said details were still to be worked out even as Congress and the Justice Department got involved.

A week later, during the U.S. Open, he announced he was stepping away and two of his top executives — Ron Price, the chief operating officer, and Tyler Dennis, the PGA Tour president — would handle the day-to-day duties.

Price and board member Jimmy Dunne have agreed to appear before a Senate panel reviewing the agreement on Tuesday in Washington.

As part of his announcement Friday, Monahan said his focus will be on “securing a stable path forward” for golf when he returns the week of the Open Championship.

“We can rest assured that the PGA TOUR will continue to lead and shape the game for the future,” he wrote.