Hank Haney is taking legal action against the PGA Tour after he was pulled from his SiriusXM radio show more than six months ago for offensive comments he made on-air.
The former swing coach for Tiger Woods previously hosted a two-hour weekday show on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio until he was suspended for the following exchange.
“This week is the 74th U.S. Women’s Open, Hank,” said Steve Johnson, Haney’s co-host at the time.
“Oh it is? I’m gonna predict a Korean,” Haney responded.
“Ok, that’s a pretty safe bet,” Johnson said while laughing.
“I couldn’t name you six players on the LPGA Tour,” Haney said. “Nah, maybe I could – well, I’d go with Lee. If I didn’t have to name a first name, I’d get a bunch of them right.”
“We’ve got six Lees,” Johnson said, adding to Haney’s insensitive remark regarding the number of Korean athletes they expect to compete in the U.S. Women’s open.
Haney was initially suspended and later let go by SiriusXM, a company he worked with since 2013.
According to Haney’s lawsuit, the PGA Tour “improperly intimidated, enticed and threatened Sirius XM…to suspend and ultimately terminate Haney’s radio broadcast.”
Regarding the comments that caused Haney to be suspended and ultimately depart SiriusXM, the radio host previously told GolfWeek, “I could have worded it better and been more expansive in my explanation.”
Haney apologized after the exchange, one that he doesn’t believe was a fireable offense.
Vijay Singh has no involvement in Haney’s lawsuit other than sharing an attorney. Big Miss, which is also mentioned in the above tweet, is a candid account of his time coaching Tiger Woods, released by Haney in 2012.
Haney believes his troubled relationship with Tiger Woods is what caused the PGA Tour to get him fired from SiriusXM.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
