PGA Tour veteran explains why he called out top players in pointed memo

Charley Hoffman didn’t pull any punches when he sent a letter to PGA Tour members on Sunday night to address the rampant slow-play issues, criticize the Aon Swing 5 pathway into Signature Events, and take top players to task for how they are managing their schedules.

“Here’s something else to think about,” Hoffman wrote. “If we truly care about strengthening our Tour, we should be supporting as many PGA Tour events as we can. Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events, and that’s going to continue regardless of field size. 

“The best competition happens when the best players go head-to-head in a deep, competitive field — not in small, limited-entry events that leave deserving players on the outside looking in. This Tour was built on open competition, where anyone with the game to compete has a chance to prove it against the best. That’s what has made our Tour special for generations, and we need to keep pushing for that.”

While Hoffman didn’t directly say whom he had an issue with, there are 24 players who are participating in TGL, and roughly 10 of them, including co-founder Rory McIlroy, spend time playing on the DP World Tour as well. Of those 10, only McIlroy has been openly talking about playing fewer events while also playing in non-Tour events like TGL and The Showdown.

On Tuesday, Hoffman went on Golf Channel to discuss his letter. He said he has received positive feedback so far but has not heard from any of the PGA Tour’s star players.

“It has been positive,” Hoffman said. “Now, I haven’t heard from the top players. I did sort of call out the top players about playing other venues and other things. I’m not saying don’t do that. But there’s a lot of great PGA Tour events and great sponsors that run events that would love to have the top players play on a more regular basis. Everybody gets tired out here, but it’s our job to sort of support the brand, support our product and just play as many tournaments as we can. Also, obviously, the more competition, more storylines, more players in the field, the better.”

After his TGL match on Tuesday night, McIlroy addressed Hoffman’s letter and the critiques that were seemingly directed at him.

“I think the thing he forgot to mention is the PGA Tour owns 20 percent of TGL, so he’s criticizing his own product,” McIlroy said. “They also own a good chunk of European Tour Productions, so again — I thought some of the elements of the letter were fine, addressed some issues. He was criticizing the Aon Swing 5. He was sixth in that.

“He talks about having it be for the good of the Tour, but he’s also talking about himself, as well,” McIlroy continued. “I thought a couple of [his thoughts] were pointed at me a little bit because TGL, Race to Dubai, non-PGA Tour events like the Showdown that Scottie and I did in December, I’ve been vocal about not wanting to play quite as much so it seemed like it was pointed at me. Look, what every player has to do is look out for themselves. We have to do what’s best for our own individual careers, and yes, at the back of our mind try to do whatever we can to help the Tour, but I think the best way for any of us to help the Tour is to tee it up and play as best we can.”

McIlroy played in TGL last week before flying to Pebble Beach, where he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He played TGL on Tuesday and will take the rest of the week off before heading to Torrey Pines to play in the Genesis Invitational.

Since Hoffman finished sixth in the Aon Swing 5, he did not get into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Hoffman will tee it up in this week’s WM Phoenix Open, where a good finish could allow him to grab one of the AON Swing 5 spots for the Genesis Invitational. Hoffman lost to Nick Taylor in a playoff at last year’s WM Phoenix Open.