Latest news with #PGATourPolicyBoard
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Tiger Woods Breaks Silence on New PGA Tour CEO
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Golf's world legend, Tiger Woods, has not only been the face of the sport but over time has also taken over critical decision-making roles when it comes to the PGA Tour. As a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, the 15-time major winner has taken on a more active governance role in recent years, joining fellow board members Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, and others. Though he has been MIA from professional golf, he has never let his presence go unseen, and something similar happened as the PGA Tour announced its new boss. Tiger Woods sends clear message to new PGA Tour CEO On Tuesday morning, Woods made a rare non-playing appearance at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, for the official announcement of Brian Rolapp as the PGA Tour's new Chief Executive Officer. While Woods wasn't there to tee it up at the Travelers Championship, his presence alongside Tour leadership sent a clear message - this hire has his full backing. Tiger Woods Breaks Silence on New PGA Tour CEO. (Image Collage | Getty Images) Tiger Woods Breaks Silence on New PGA Tour CEO. (Image Collage | Getty Images) Getty Images Rolapp, a Harvard Business School graduate, spent 22 years at the NFL, most recently as Chief Media and Business Officer, where he helped negotiate over $110 billion in media rights deals and launched digital platforms like NFL+. Now, he steps into golf's top executive role at a time when the Tour is navigating fractured relations with LIV Golf and a shifting commercial landscape. "I'm honored to join the PGA TOUR at such a pivotal time," Rolapp said during the pre-tournament press conference. "The PGA TOUR represents the highest level of competition, integrity, and global opportunity in the game of golf, and I believe deeply in the TOUR's mission and its potential to grow even stronger." Woods echoed that optimism in a post on X later that morning: "Congrats to Brian on becoming CEO of the PGA TOUR. I'm excited about where the TOUR is headed. And a big thank you to Jay for everything he's done for our game and for the players and fans." Congrats to Brian on becoming CEO of the PGA TOUR. I'm excited about where the TOUR is headed. And a big thank you to Jay for everything he's done for our game and for the players and fans. — Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) June 17, 2025 Rolapp's appointment follows a unanimous vote by the CEO Search Committee, which included Woods, Scott, Arthur M. Blank, Joe Gorder, and Sam Kennedy. He will serve as CEO of both PGA TOUR, Inc. and PGA TOUR Enterprises, reporting to both Boards of Directors, while Jay Monahan remains Commissioner through 2026 to ensure a smooth transition. Monahan himself called Rolapp "the perfect choice for the next chapter of the PGA TOUR," adding, "His arrival strengthens our leadership team and reflects our shared commitment to the TOUR's continued evolution." Rolapp, for his part, acknowledged Woods' influence during the process, calling his involvement "significant" and praising his dedication to the next generation of players. With the Big Cat's endorsement and Rolapp's business strategies for the PGA Tour is clearly betting on a new era. More Golf: Paige Spiranac's 'Niche' Gets Nod of Approval from Annika Sorenstam
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
With PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan stepping down, what is his legacy?
With PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan stepping down, what is his legacy? Hiring of Brian Rolapp, the NFL's Chief Media and Business Officer, announced on June 17 Show Caption Hide Caption New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp talks LIV Golf Brian Rolapp discussed LIV Golf is his opening press conference PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan will step down at the end of 2026. Former NFL executive Brian Rolapp has been named the PGA Tour's new CEO, starting June 17. Monahan will transition his responsibilities to Rolapp and remain on the PGA Tour Policy Board. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will leave his position by the end of 2026 with the hiring of former NFL executive Brian Rolapp in a new position as the Tour's chief executive officer on June 17. Monahan, who became the Tour's fourth commissioner in 2017, will "transition his day-to-day responsibilities" to Rolapp, according to a PGA Tour news release, and will concentrate on his role as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board and on the board of PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm of the Tour. Monahan said he informed the Policy Board last year that he would step down as commissioner after he completed 10 years on the job. Who is Brian Rolapp? 5 things to know about the PGA Tour's new CEO 'A year ago, I informed our Boards that upon completing a decade as commissioner, I would step down from my role at the end of 2026,' Monahan said in a statement. 'Since then, we've worked together to identify a leader who can build on our momentum and develop a process that ensures a smooth transition. We've found exactly the right leader in Brian Rolapp, and I'm excited to support him as he transitions from the NFL into his new role leading the PGA Tour.' Brian Rolapp: 'Excited about future of golf' Rolapp, 53, was the unanimous choice by a search committee that included Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Monahan. He said in a news conference at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 17, the site of this week's Travelers, that he plans on having conversations with as many players as he can. "I'm excited to grow the PGA Tour ... I'm excited about the future of golf," he said. "I'm going to talk with as many [players] as I can in a short amount of time ... I'm going to hear what they have to say." The PGA Tour management team will report to Rolapp upon his start date, and he will report to both boards of directors. "I've had the privilege of working at the NFL for 20 years, which I've loved," Rolapp said. "This opportunity stood out. It stood out because I think the game of golf is a global game. It is a game that has a tremendous amount of growth. I think the level of competition and tradition is unparalleled in a lot of ways." Jay Monahan guided Tour through COVID, LIV Golf breakaway Monahan first came to the Tour in 2008 as the executive director of The Players Championship. He was promoted to Tour's senior vice president for business development in 2010, to executive vice president and chief marketing officer in 2013, and then to deputy commissioner in 2015. Three years after he was in office, sports in America came to a standstill with the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. The Players Championship was canceled after only one round but Monahan and his management team formulated a plan to return. The PGA Tour was the first major sport to resume competition in June 2020. Two years later, Monahan was faced with another crisis, the creation of LIV Golf and the defection of some of the Tour's biggest stars at the time. Monahan immediately suspended every player who became a member of LIV Golf, and those players remain under suspension. In June of 2023, Monahan stepped away from his duties for an undisclosed "medical situation," as the Tour described it, but returned later that summer. Since then he has created the lucrative PGA Tour "Signature Event" series, with higher purses, FedEx Cup Fall, a series of event events designed for players who did not make the FedEx Cup playoffs to regain their playing status and formed an alliance with the Strategic Sports Group, a collection of pro team sports owners who will invest up to $3 million in PGA Tour Enterprises. What does Brian Rolapp's hiring mean for the Tour vs. LIV battle? There was no indication whether Rolapp's hiring would be a prelude to fast-tracking a merger or other alliance with the LIV Golf Tour, which formed in 2022 in competition with the PGA Tour and lured stars such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith. Monahan and Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who has bankrolled LIV Golf, announced a framework agreement on June 6, 2023. Still, little progress has been made toward an actual resolution to the split in professional golf. Monahan has had three meetings with President Donald Trump, who said during his campaign last year that he could help broker a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Rolapp said during his news conference that he is coming in "with a pretty clean sheet of paper," about the Tour vs. LIV issue. "I also come in knowing that there's a lot to learn," he said. "Everything that works in the football world may not work in the golf world. When it comes to that situation particularly, I think the fans have been pretty clear. They want to see the best golfers compete against each other. I agree with that. I think that's a complex situation that's probably something I should learn more about before I speak." Who is Brian Rolapp? Rolapp, a native of Maryland who worked a part-time job at the Congressional Country Club in high school, is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Business School. He joined the NFL in 2003 and became the COO of NFL Media and later CEO of NFL Network. He forged partnerships with brands such as Apple, X, Nike and Fanatics. He was named to the Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame. As the NFL's Chief Media and Business Officer, Rolapp oversaw the league's commercial businesses, including broadcast and digital rights, NFL Network, NFL Films, sponsorships, consumer products and the league's private investment entity, 32 Equity. He and his wife Cindy have four children.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
$40 Million Golfer Calls Out the PGA Tour With Brutal Message
Following the PGA Tour Policy Board's ratification of exclusivity-driven reforms, cutting full-time membership from 125 to 100 and shrinking Signature Event fields, Lucas Glover bluntly slams the current structure. Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion and career earner of more than $40 million, didn't hold back on Thursday at the Truist Championship when he called the PGA Tour's Signature Events 'too exclusive'. Advertisement "I've been on record as saying I was not a fan of these when they hatched the idea of them. I didn't like them then and I've been in most of them since they started and I still don't like them." Grover told the Golf Channel. Lucas Glover reacts after putting on the sixth green during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.© Michael Madrid-Imagn Images "I've been on the record as saying I don't like cutting 200 cards and I still don't. I think it's getting too exclusive, and we're not giving enough opportunity. I've been pretty outspoken about that. I think the majority would agree with that. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like the majority matters, so it is what it is at this point and we're just dealing with it." He added. "The PGA Tour established Signature Events in response to LIV Golf poaching many of its top stars. LIV prides itself on playing 54 holes with 48-to-54-man fields. Those tournaments have $20 million purses and are played across the world." Jack Milko wrote on March 9. Advertisement His outspokenness contrasts with many peers who have remained publicly neutral, signaling growing unease among veteran competitors. With eight Signature Events offering $20 million purses and 700 FedEx Cup points to winners, the Tour has created a two-tier system that rewards top earners while limiting access for others. Glover's critique echoes earlier warnings that the model could fracture locker-room unity and deepen the gulf between elite stars and rank-and-file professionals. Related: PGA Tour Makes Concerning Announcement This Week
Reuters
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
PGA Tour members voting for PAC co-chairmen
March 18 - PGA Tour members are voting now through April 14 to elect two co-chairmen for the Player Advisory Council. Rickie Fowler, Maverick McNealy and Keith Mitchell were announced as candidates Tuesday, selected by the player directors. The two top vote-getters will replace current player directors Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson on Jan. 1, 2026. Beginning in 2026, only one PAC chairman will be elected each year to serve a four-year term on the PGA Tour Policy Board. In order to transition to the new process, the player who receives the most votes will become the PAC chairman and serve a four-year term, while the player with the second-most votes will be the PAC co-chair and serve a three-year term. "In examining the governance process to better reflect the organizational changes made over the last several years, improved alignment has been a part of those discussions," said Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner. "These governance changes will improve year-to-year continuity among the six Player Directors and allow the Policy Board to make informed decisions more quickly and effectively." In addition to Malnati and Simpson, the other player directors are Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Camilo Villegas and Tiger Woods.
USA Today
08-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
No Tiger Woods in 2025 Players Championship field but the lineup is still loaded
No Tiger Woods in 2025 Players Championship field but the lineup is still loaded Tiger Woods has passed on his final chance to play in the Players Championship. Woods' name was absent when the Players field for 2025 was released shortly after 5 p.m. ET by the PGA Tour. It's his final year of eligibility off his victory in the Masters in 2019. Woods, an 82-time PGA Tour winner, 15-time major champion and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, won't be eligible in 2026 unless he wins a PGA Tour event over the next 12 months, gets into the top 50 on the World Golf Rankings by the end of the 2026 Cognizant Classic or finishes among the top-70 on the 2025 FedEx Cup points list. Given his lack of starts — Woods still hasn't played this season — those goals seem hard to reach even for him. Woods is 1,129 on this week's World Golf Rankings. Scottie Scheffler leads stout field However, every other big PGA Tour star will be at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass when the Tour's flagship event begins on March 13. Led by two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler, 2019 Players champion Rory McIlroy, two-time 2024 major champion Xander Schauffele and current FedEx Cup points leader Ludvig Aberg, the Players field includes 48 of the top-50 players on the world rankings and 86 of the top 100. Also in the field will be past Players champions Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Si Woo Kim and Matt Kuchar as well as 97 of the top 100 players on the FedEx Cup points list through the Cognizant Classic. There also will be a pair of twins for the first time in The Players: Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark, who are veterans of the DP World Tour, are eligible. When did Tiger Woods last play at TPC Sawgrass? Wood has made 18 starts in The Players and has never missed a cut. He won in 2001 and 2013 and has five top-10 finishes. He last played in 2019, tying for 30th. Woods offered a club after his TGL match earlier in the week, saying the combination of his mother's death on Feb. 4 and his efforts as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board to bring the Tour and LIV Golf together, have taken a toll on his ability to practice and get ready for an event such as The Players. 'This is the third time I've touched a club since my mom passed, so I haven't really gotten into it,' Woods said. 'My heart is not into practicing right now. I have so many other things to do with the Tour. Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I'll start looking at the schedule.' Woods is expected to play at the Masters April 10-13 at Augusta National, where he is a five-time champion. Can anyone else get into The Players? The winner of the Puerto Rico Championship, if not otherwise eligible, can get into The Players Championship. The PRO is an opposite-field concurrent with the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The entire field at the Arnold Palmer, a PGA Tour signature event at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, is already eligible for The Players, except amateur Jackson Koivun. Players Championship 2025 field The 144 player field: Ludvig Aberg, Byeong Hun An, Daniel Berger, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Akshay Bhatia, Keegan Bradley, Jacob Bridgeman, Sam Burns, Brian Campbell, Rafael Campos, Laurie Canter, Patrick Cantlay, Frankie Capan III, Bud Cauley, Will Chandler, Wyndham Clark, Eric Cole, Corey Conners, Joel Dahmen, Cam Davis, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Nick Dunlap, Nico Echavarria, Austin Eckroat, Harris English, Tony Finau, Patrick Fishburn, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Fox, Brice Garnett, Ryan Gerard, Doug Ghim, Lucas Glover, Will Gordon, Chris Gotterup, Max Greyserman, Ben Griffin, Lanto Griffin, Emiliano Grillo, Adam Hadwin, Harry Hall, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Joe Highsmith, Ryo Hisatsune, Lee Hodges, Rico Hoey, Charley Hoffman, Tom Hoge, Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmus Hojgaard, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Beau Hossler, Viktor Hovland, Mark Hubbard, Mackenzie Hughes, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Chan Kim, Michael Kim, Si Woo Kim, Tom Kim, Chris Kirk, Kurt Kitayama, Patton Kizzire, Jake Knapp, Ben Kohles, Matt Kuchar, Nate Lashley, K.H. Lee, Min Woo Lee, David Lipsky, Luke List, Justin Lower, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Peter Malnati, Hideki Matsuyama, Denny McCarthy, Matt McCarty, Max McGreevy, Rory McIlroy, Maverick McNealy, Mac Meissner, Keith Mitchell, Taylor Moore, Collin Morikawa, Trey Mullinax, Henrik Norlander, Andrew Novak, C.T. Pan, Matthieu Pavon, Taylor Pendrith, Victor Perez, Chandler Phillips, J.T. Poston, Aldrich Potgieter, Seamus Power, Andrew Putnam, Aaron Rai, Chad Ramey, Davis Riley, Patrick Rodgers, Justin Rose, Kevin Roy, Sam Ryder, Isaiah Salinda, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Schenk, Matti Schmid, Adam Scott, Greyson Sigg, Ben Silverman, David Skinns, Alex Smalley, J.J. Spaun, Jordan Spieth, Hayden Springer, Sam Stevens, Sepp Straka, Jackson Suber, Adam Svensson, Jesper Svensson, Nick Taylor, Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Davis Thompson, Alejandro Tosti, Sami Valimaki, Erik van Rooyen, Jhonattan Vegas, Kris Ventura, Camilo Villegas, Vince Whaley, Gary Woodland, Cameron Young, Carson Young, Kevin Yu, Will Zalatoris. Alternates (in order of FedEx Cup rank): Danny Walker, Danny Willett, Ricky Castillo, Paul Peterson, Quade Cummins, Vincent Norrman, Zach Johnson, Taylor Montgomery, John Pak, Webb Simpson, Steven Fisk, Niklas Norgaard, Matteo Manassero, Jeremy Paul, Aaron Baddeley.
