Among the topics discussed at a mandatory player meeting involving new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp this week was LIV Golf, the signature events and playing opportunities.
Golfweek reported that Rolapp and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with players on Tuesday at the Rocket Classic as they had done last week at the Travelers Championship.
Rolapp, a former NFL executive, is taking on the role of CEO, a new position created as part of PGA Tour Enterprises, a for-profit arm of the Tour that launched last year.
According to various interviews conducted of players by Golfweek at Detroit Golf Club, the negotiations with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia—which backs LIV Golf—remain at a standstill.
“I don’t think it’s any breaking news that the talks have gone silent. They said we’re still open to negotiations,” said PGA Tour player Matt Kuchar. “I get the feeling that both sides still want to do something but I also think we’re at a stalemate.”
Golfweek summarized the update saying that the Tour is not giving in on certain aspects of the PIF’s desires to keep a team concept as part of joining forces with PGATE.
Other questions, according to players interviewed by Golfweek, concerned the signature events and a possible tweak to the points system as well as the impending lessening of playing opportunities due to the Tour shrinking the number of exempt players for 2026 from 125 to 100, and the number of Tour cards given via the Korn Ferry Tour from 30 to 20.
Peter Malnati, a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board who fought the changes, told players his understanding of why they were made.
“But because I was on the inside and saw the thought process, saw the planning, I could see how it truly was creating a stronger Tour from both a sponsorship standpoint and an overall holistic health of the Tour standpoint, and that even though it hurts, that opportunities are gone, that is what is best for all the members to ensure the long-term health of what we're doing,” he said.
Rolapp did not reveal any plans and has not even officially started his role yet. But players reported he had three questions for them. What do we do well? What do we do that you don’t like? What can we do better?
“I thought it was awesome to hear that from the new guy,” Kuchar said. “He had no agenda. He’s an outsider trying to figure it out. What a great way to start.”
“I think we got a real switched-on guy,” said Tour player Mark Hubbard.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as As PGA Tour's New CEO Settles In, LIV Golf Negotiations Are at a Stalemate.
