The PGA Tour may have a new CEO, but don’t expect fireworks just yet — especially when it comes to that unresolved drama with LIV Golf and the Public Investment Fund. Less than a month into the job, Brian Rolapp is making it very clear: his first order of business is not peace talks, it’s product.
Rolapp Leans Into the PGA Tour, Not the LIV Tension
Speaking Wednesday from East Lake Golf Club, just ahead of the Tour Championship, Rolapp laid out a vision that sounded more Silicon Valley than Saudi summit — innovation, fan engagement, new partnerships, and a Tiger-led committee to reimagine competition. It’s bold. It’s forward-thinking. And it notably avoids the LIV elephant in the room.
When asked directly about meeting with the Public Investment Fund (the bankroll behind LIV Golf), Rolapp didn’t mince words: “I’ve been here for three weeks… my focus has obviously been on the Tour.” Translation: LIV can wait.
That’s a pretty stark shift in tone compared to earlier this year, when PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said the Tour was doing “everything we can” to bring both sides together. Fast-forward to now, and Rolapp is playing a different round — one where the PGA Tour strengthens its core before even considering reconciliation.
The Door is Still Open, Just Not the Focal Point
Rolapp didn’t slam the door on LIV entirely, saying, “Whatever strengthens the PGA Tour, I’ll pursue aggressively.” But right now, he is firmly fixed on what he can control. What he can control is the Tour’s current roster, the fan experience, and building out a global structure alongside the DP World Tour.
He spent time last week with DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings, signaling that deeper collaboration — not competition — is the direction the Tour prefers. Tiger Woods, now head of a new committee designed to examine competitive structure, will be leading the charge internally.
Meanwhile, LIV Golf is finishing up its own season. They are rolling out a majority of its 2026 schedule, and still fighting for Official World Golf Ranking legitimacy. It’s still loud, still well-funded, and still operating like it’s playing the long game.
But on the other side of the sport’s civil war, the PGA Tour is actually thriving — back to pre-LIV TV ratings, compelling late-season drama, and a postseason that Rolapp says has been “extremely compelling.”
If fans were hoping the new CEO would swoop in, broker a magical deal, and bring Brooks, Bryson, and Rory back under the same roof overnight… well, pump the brakes.
Rolapp’s playbook is more methodical. He wants to fix the Tour first, then see if LIV still fits into that picture later. From the sound of it, that’s going to take more than a blank check and a handshake at the White House.
For now, it’s all about building from within, and the message is clear that the PGA Tour isn’t waiting around.
