After nearly a decade of watching Jay Monahan navigate the PGA Tour through some of the most turbulent waters in professional golf’s history, the announcement that Brian Rolapp will take over as CEO in 2026 feels like the first genuinely hopeful moment the Tour has had in years. As someone who has spent decades in this industry, I’m cautiously optimistic that we might finally have found the right leader at the right time to address the mountain of issues that have been festering for far too long.

Giving Credit Where It’s Due

Don’t get me wrong—Monahan deserves credit for keeping the ship afloat during the LIV Golf storm. The man took more incoming fire than any commissioner in sports history, weathering everything from player defections to public criticism to that infamous framework agreement with the Saudi PIF that blindsided everyone, including his own players. But surviving a crisis and thriving beyond it are two entirely different skill sets, and that’s where Rolapp’s NFL pedigree becomes so intriguing.

The NFL Blueprint for Success

The NFL didn’t become America’s dominant sports entertainment juggernaut by accident. It got there through relentless innovation, strategic media partnerships, and an almost obsessive focus on the fan experience. Rolapp was instrumental in securing those landmark media deals with Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube that kept the NFL ahead of the curve while other sports leagues struggled with cord-cutting and changing viewing habits. If anyone understands how to navigate the modern sports media landscape, it’s the guy who helped the NFL secure over ten billion dollars per season in media rights.

Perfect Timing for Real Change

Here’s what excites me most about Rolapp’s appointment: he’s walking into a situation where the Tour finally has some momentum. The Signature Events are starting to deliver on their promise, with stars actually showing up and creating the kind of compelling storylines that make casual fans care. Viewership is up sixteen percent since the Farmers Insurance Open, and for the first time in years, it feels like the Tour is building something rather than just plugging holes in a sinking ship.

Fixing the Internal Structure

The timing couldn’t be better for tackling the Tour’s most pressing internal issues. The proposed changes for 2026—reducing field sizes, tightening exemption status, and creating cleaner pathways for emerging talent—are exactly the kind of structural reforms that should have happened years ago. When Patrick Fishburn can’t get into the Sony Open despite earning his card through the Korn Ferry Tour, while Ryan Moore gets in based on a 117th-place FedEx Cup finish, something is fundamentally broken. These changes will create more opportunities for rising talent while maintaining competitive integrity.

The Pace of Play Breakthrough

The pace of play problem, which reached its nadir when Dottie Pepper called out the Tour on live television during the Farmers, is finally getting the attention it deserves. The working group approach, involving players like Sam Burns and Adam Schenk, shows that the Tour is serious about finding solutions rather than just paying lip service to fan complaints. The fact that players like Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are now advocating for public release of pace-of-play statistics tells you everything you need to know about how the culture is shifting.

The LIV Elephant in the Room

But let’s be honest about the elephant in the room—or should I say, the LIV monkey that’s been wreaking havoc for four years now. Rolapp’s measured response about needing to “learn more” about the LIV situation before speaking shows the kind of diplomatic restraint that will be essential in any future negotiations. The reality is that fans want to see the best players competing against each other, period. Whether that happens through some kind of détente with the PIF or through the Tour continued evolution into a more compelling product, Rolapp’s media expertise will be crucial in crafting the right narrative.

The TV Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About

The external challenges are just as daunting as the internal ones. Television ratings may be trending upward, but the commercial load remains a massive barrier to fan engagement. Eighteen minutes of commercials per hour is simply unsustainable in an era where viewers have infinite entertainment options at their fingertips. Rolapp’s experience with innovative platforms like NFL+ suggests he understands that the future of sports consumption isn’t just about traditional broadcast television.

The Fan Forward initiative has already produced tangible improvements in telecasts, with more live golf shots and better coverage of cutline battles. But these are incremental changes when what’s needed is transformational thinking. The Tour needs to seriously consider whether premium events like the Signature series should command premium advertising rates that allow for fewer interruptions and a more immersive viewing experience.

The Right Leadership Philosophy

What gives me the most hope is that Rolapp seems to understand the delicate balance between honoring golf’s traditions and embracing necessary change. His open letter to Tour membership struck exactly the right tone: “Respect the past. Build the future.” That’s the kind of leadership philosophy that can unite a fractured membership while still pushing the Tour forward.

The Mountain of Challenges Ahead

The challenges ahead are enormous. Sponsor satisfaction is declining, with major partners like Wells Fargo and Honda expressing concerns about the Tour’s value proposition. International expansion remains largely theoretical rather than strategic. The FedEx Cup playoffs still feel like a manufactured drama that nobody can defend with a straight face. Equipment regulations continue to be ignored while courses become obsolete and the game becomes increasingly one-dimensional.

Cautious Optimism for the Future

But for the first time in years, I believe the Tour has the right person in place to tackle these issues systematically rather than reactively. Rolapp’s track record of building sustainable growth in a rapidly changing media landscape, combined with his collaborative approach and fresh perspective, could be exactly what professional golf needs.

The next two years will be crucial as Monahan transitions his responsibilities and Rolapp settles into his new role. If they can use this time to build on the current momentum while addressing the fundamental structural issues that have plagued the Tour, we might look back on this announcement as the moment when professional golf finally turned the corner.

The game deserves better than the chaos and uncertainty of the past few years. With Brian Rolapp at the helm, it just might get it.

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Each Monday, check out his regular column “The Starter” on RG.org. 

Editor’s note: “My Take” is an ongoing series where Brendon shares his thoughts and opinions on various aspects of the game and industry. These are Brendon’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of GolfWRX, its staff, and its affiliates.