Mark Lye fired by SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio after remarks about the WNBA
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Mark Lye fired by SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio after remarks about the WNBA

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Mark Lye is no longer a host and analyst on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio after comments he made on Saturday in which he suggested he would rather kill himself than watch the WNBA.

Golf Magazine first reported on Lye's firing.

Speaking on "The Scorecard," on which he appeared with former LPGA Chief Communications Officer and Golf Channel anchor Kraig Kann, the 69-year-old former PGA Tour player made the remarks in the context of discussing the LPGA Tour, which he said he was previously dimissive of for an uncertain reason.

“You know, the LPGA Tour to me is a completely different tour than it was 10 years ago," he said.

"You couldn’t pay me to watch. You really couldn’t. Because I just, I couldn’t relate at all. It’s kind of like, you know, if you’re a basketball player — and I’m not trashing anybody; please, don’t take it the wrong way — but I saw some highlights of ladies’ basketball. Man, is there a gun in the house? I’ll shoot myself than watch that.

“You know, I love watching the men’s basketball. I love watching the men’s golf. I never used to like watching ladies’ golf. But I will tell you this. I’ve been up close watching these ladies play because I used to have a big function every year called the Lucas Cup and I’d have LPGA players and PGA Tour players.”

Lye was apparently unaware of Kann's previous role with the LPGA, asking Kann is he had experience in covering the tour. Lye said he apologized for the remarks after the segment, but the episode of the show was removed from on-demand playing.

Lye took to Twitter to defend himself, saying, "The fact that I can’t relate to WNBA does not make me sexist in any way. All you haters should listen to the whole segment, where I completely glorified womens golf, which I love to cover. Thanks for listening."

Playing on the PGA Tour from 1977 to 1995, Lye won the 1983 Bank of Boston Classic. From 2003 to 2008, he played on PGA Tour Champions. Lye was a Golf Channel analyst from 1994 to 2012. He also made a cameo in "Happy Gilmore."

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Ryan Ballengee

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