Golf-Els blasts PGA Tour board over merger with 'circus golf' LIV series

Golf - The 151st Open Championship - Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, Britain - July 20, 2023 South Africa's Ernie Els tees off on the 4th hole during the first round REUTERS/Lorraine Osullivan

(Reuters) - Former world number one Ernie Els said the PGA Tour board should step down over the decision to merge their commercial operations with the LIV Series and described the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit as "circus golf".

Els said the way the PGA Tour went about the merger without player input was an "absolute shambles" and that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan would not still be in the role if it was up to him.