PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — David Passman showed WPTV a photo of a young lady he hired for Aon Risk Services in the south tower one month before the 9/11 attacks.
"My company lost 200 people," Passman said. "My former company, Johnson & Higgins Marsh McClaren, lost 200 people in the other building."
Passman said it's taken years to work through survivor's remorse, sadness and depression.
To hear the PGA Tour is merging with the Saudi-run LIV Golf is a slap in the face to all Americans, he said.
"I believe that it's a slap in the face to all the souls that left us on 9/11, I believe it's a slap in the face to the families," Passman said. "I believe it's a slap in the face to survivors, and I believe it's a slap in the face to the American people."
Since its inception, LIV Golf has been the arch enemy of the PGA Tour. In fact, any players who teed up for the fledgling association were barred from playing on the tour.
Now, the PGA Tour and its commissioner are having a reversal of attitude, behavior and point of view.
"We've recognized that together we could have a far greater impact on this game than we can working a part," PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monohan said.
Allan Bowman, a member of the PGA and director of golf for the North Palm Beach Country Club said as a spectator seeing the best golfers week in,and week out is a great deal.
"If I look behind the business deal and hear what the PGA stood up for and believed in, not wanting from 9/11, from Saudia Arabia," he said. "You have got to question why this sudden flop."
Flop indeed said Daniel Kent. He lost his cousin Vincent Wells on 9/11. Wells worked for Cantor Fitzgerald at the time.
Kent's been playing golf for over four decades. He said the merger is wrong.
"It's just all about the money and I'm not going to watch the PGA Tour anymore," he said.
Each man in this story said the shock of the announcement hasn't worn off. They all agree the game of golf has been around for hundreds of years and even after this controversy the game will still be around.
