Monahan could see Woods' Masters win as potentially galvanizing the sport in terms of participationgetty images
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan believes the sport is "well-positioned to capitalize on the re-emergence" of Tiger Woods after he broke his 11-year major drought at The Masters, according to Kevin Draper of the N.Y. TIMES. Monahan said, "It's not like you change your business in a moment like this. You think about how you get to a moment like this and put your tour and product in the best possible position." By most metrics, golf "peaked in the early 2000s, at the height of the first Tigermania." According to the National Golf Foundation, minorities in '17 made up 18% of all U.S. golfers, while they made up 25% of "new golfers." Two decades ago, just 6% of new golfers "were minorities." NBC Sports Group President Pete Bevacqua, the former PGA of America CEO, said there is "more diversity in the game than there was 10 years ago." But Draper writes what is "less clear is whether these people end up sticking with the sport, and whether they have the means to sustain their initial interest." Meanwhile, Monahan is "hopeful Woods' win will be galvanizing." Monahan: "These moments bring more people into our sport" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/17).
