PGA Tour honors George Floyd during its first tournament back. Not everyone is happy
Silence filled the air as PGA Tour players paused for a moment of silence Thursday to honor George Floyd during the return of golf after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At 8:46 a.m. CT, horns sounded three times at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, in tribute to Floyd, the black man who died while in the custody of Minneapolis police. He died after now-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, as three other officers didn’t intervene. Floyd’s death sparked an avalanche of protests across the nation.
According to Yahoo Sports, the 8:46 tee time will be left blank this week and the moment of silence will be recognized throughout all four rounds of the Charles Schwab Challenge.
“As the PGA Tour commits to amplifying voices and efforts to end systemic issues of racial and social injustices, we have reserved the 8:46 tee time to pause for a moment of silence, prayer and reflection,” Commissioner Jay Monahan said, the Associated Press reported.
After the moment of silence was observed Thursday, fans took to social media, and reactions were mixed.
While some were positive about the PGA Tour acknowledging the Black Lives Matter movement, others were angered by the move.
“Embarrassing,” @kevjackd tweeted. “You’s should hang your heads in shame.”
Some Twitter users brought up the “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter,” movements in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement, which was formed after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012 in Florida.
“How about you pause for all of the police officers killed in the line of duty this year?” another user wrote. “Doesn’t fit your liberal narrative does it. Stay out of politics and know who your audience is.”
“When’s the pause for David Dorn, or doesn’t his life matter??” another said. “Let’s recognize hero’s killed protecting others or is that not woke enough for the PGATOUR???”
Dorn was a retired St. Louis police captain who was shot and killed outside a shop he was checking on after nights of protests.
“How about all the Officers killed? Yes some of them are black too,” said @Secreta52822631. “How about getting your facts straight instead following the rest of the sheep. #BlueLivesMatter too. #AllLivesMatter. Support the cops who protect your events. This racism line is BS and people are tired of it.”
Others applauded the move and called out those who were upset by it on social media.
“All the whiny, dramatic, snowflake, racists in the comments,” expressed one Twitter user as he left a gif of a crying Leonardo DiCapro in the comment section.
“Still a serious racial issue in the game of golf going off the responses...shocking that people are so opposed to a moments silence and raising awareness of the racial injustices happening,” @eco_golfer said.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He remains jailed with bail set at $1.25 million.
Officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were also fired and arrested, charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd was arrested after being accused by a store employee of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy a pack of cigarettes at a Minneapolis grocery store.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 12:23 PM with the headline "PGA Tour honors George Floyd during its first tournament back. Not everyone is happy."