Miami (AFP) – PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will step down when his contract ends next year, the tour announced in a statement on Tuesday. Monahan, who replaced predecessor Tim Finchem in 2017, will gradually hand over his day-to-day responsibilities to newly appointed chief executive Brian Rolapp. Rolapp joins the tour after two decades with the National Football League, where he recently served as chief media and business officer.
“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. “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.”
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Monahan will depart his role after a turbulent final few years of his tenure, which saw golf erupt into a virtual civil war with the rise of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit. A staunch critic of LIV, Monahan infuriated many players after it emerged the PGA Tour had secretly brokered an agreement with LIV to form a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV. Negotiations aimed at a final agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV are ongoing.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of this week’s Travelers Championship, incoming chief executive Rolapp said he hoped to unify the sport. “I think the fans have been pretty clear,” Rolapp said. “They want to see the best golfers competing against each other. I agree with that. When it comes to the situation with LIV, I think that’s a complex situation that’s probably something I should learn more about before I speak. But I will say my focus is on growing the Tour, making it better, and really moving on from the position of strength that it has.”
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