On Monday, a report claimed that LIV Golf’s Dustin Johnson made some pretty inflammatory comments about PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan during the 4Aces’ press conference after winning LIV Golf’s event in Australia on Sunday.
However, Johnson’s teammate, Pat Perez, cleared the air later on and claimed ownership over those comments, which had been misattributed.
“It was me,” Pat Perez texted Monday to Sports Illustrated after being asked if he was the one who made the comment.
‘We don’t give a damn how he feels,” read quotes initially attributed to Johnson. “We know how he feels about us, so it’s mutual.”
Perez, who plays on the 4Aces along with Johnson, Peter Uihlein, and Patrick Reed, disputed the initial report.
“DJ said nothing, it was all me,” Perez said in a text from Singapore. “I said we don’t care what Jay thinks cause we know how he feels about us and when I say WE, I mean me. I can’t speak for the whole group.”
The LIV player added that he understands he has probably burned his bridge on ever returning to the PGA Tour.
“I know that Jay doesn’t ever want to see me again,” Perez said.
Dustin didn’t say it, Pat did. AAP reported it incorrectly.
— Jane MacNeille (@TheRealJaneSays) April 24, 2023
Per SI, Johnson’s agent David Winkle also confirmed that the quote was not from his client.
“I spoke with Dustin from Singapore this morning at which time he emphatically denied making any such statement,” Winkle said in a statement. “He elaborated by saying his actual response to the question was ‘no comment,’ but mentioned that others interviewed may have answered differently.”
[SI.com]
