Investment bank Citi decided Monday to keep its sponsorship of Justin Thomas, condemning the anti-gay slur he muttered and requiring him to donate a “meaningful portion” of his deal as part of an active role in LGBTQ causes.
Carla Hassan, the chief marketing officer of New York-based Citi, announced the decision in a company blog post titled, “When an apology isn’t enough.”
“We considered terminating our relationship with him,” she wrote. “It would send a clear and important message, but we decided to use this moment to work with Justin to try to create change.”
Thomas, the No. 3 player in the world whose 13 victories at age 27 include a major championship, missed a 4-foot par putt in the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Jan. 9 when television audio caught him muttering the slur under his breath. Thomas apologized after the third and final rounds.
Ralph Lauren Corp. ended its sponsorship of him a week later.