New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp shared where he stood in the PGA Tour’s merger with LIV Golf, stating that he would much rather focus on the Tour’s growth as the main concern at hand
New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp shared his thoughts on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s merger(Image: Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Brian Rolapp made his stance clear on the PGA Tour’s merger with LIV Golf, as six players get new positions within his organization.
Rolapp is the PGA Tour’s new CEO, having been announced as the latest man to take the position after spending two decades with the NFL. Rolapp will take over the day-to-day duties of Jay Monahan, the Commissioner of the Tour, who will increase his focus on being a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises Board.
Among the duties Rolapp will have to turn his attention to is the possible merger between the Tour and the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit. However, the new CEO shared his thoughts on the situation and where his focus lies as it pertains to helping the Tour’s growth moving forward.
“Yeah, I have not spoken to anyone from the Public Investment Fund,” he admitted to reporters. “I’ve been here for three weeks, so my focus has obviously been on the Tour and focusing on the Tour and in learning and starting to develop a bit of a vision for the future.
“Part of those conversations have been with our partners at the DP World Tour. I spent some time with Guy [Kinnings] last week. I think we have an investment in the DP World Tour. I think golf is a global game; we all know that. We have quite a bit of European players on the Tour.
“I think it’s an important partnership that we want to figure out how to grow. I think conversations with them and how they might fit in a new competitive model will certainly be part of this committee’s work, so we’ll continue to work on that.”
Brian Rolapp (R) has made it clear where his focus lies as the new CEO of the PGA Tour(Image: Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
In the same vein, Rolapp explained that his main focus was to ensure the PGA Tour remains the main golf circuit in the world.
“I think my primary focus is going to be on strengthening the Tour, and blank sheet of paper means blank sheet of paper. Whatever does that, I’ll pursue aggressively. That’s how I view it,” he continued.
On the topic of fans seeing the best players together more often rather than having to watch two different circuits, Rolapp stated that having a model that makes it easier for fans to do that is a goal.
“Yeah, I think, yeah, golf fans want to see the best competition possible in the sport that they love in a competitive model that makes sense,” he added.”
Overall, Rolapp explained how while a deal with LIV is something that could be discussed, the main thing he and the Tour will focus on are themselves and making the organization as strong as it could be.
“Look, I think I’m going to focus on what I can control. I would offer to you that the best collection of golfers in the world are on the PGA Tour. I think there’s a bunch of metrics that demonstrate that, from rankings to viewership to whatever you want to pick. I’m going to lean into that and strengthen that.
“I will also say that to the extent we can do anything that’s going to further strengthen the PGA Tour, we’ll do that, and I’m interested in exploring whatever strengthens the PGA Tour,” he concluded.