The PGA Tour announced on Tuesday that Brian Rolapp has been named to the new position of CEO. Rolapp, 52, joins the tour after spending more than two decades with the NFL, serving most recently as the league’s Chief Media and Business Officer.
“I’m honored to step into the role of CEO of the PGA Tour,” Rolapp wrote in an open letter Tuesday morning. “Golf has one of the deepest histories and many of the most timeless traditions in all of sports. That history and those traditions have inspired generations of players and fans, creating both a game and a tour that millions around the world love. At the same time, professional golf is evolving, as are the ways fans consume sports. My goal as CEO is to honor golf’s traditions but not be overly bound by them.”
With Rolapp’s hiring, the tour also announced that Commissioner Jay Monahan will transition his day-to-day responsibilities to Rolapp, stepping down from the commissioner role when his contract runs out at the end of 2026.
“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.”
Rolapp was the unanimous select of a PGA Tour CEO Search Committee formed in December and consisting of Arthur M. Blank, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Monahan, Joe Gorder and Sam Kennedy. His experience at the NFL helping reshape how fans experience live sports was seen as one of his greatest strengths in coming over to the PGA Tour.
As CEO, Rolapp is expected to lead the PGA Tour into its next phase of growth and innovation, serving as the CEO of PGA Tour, Inc. and PGA Tour Enterprises, the new for-profit arm of the tour formed in 2024. The PGA Tour management team will report to Rolapp upon his start date later this summer, and he will report to both Boards of Directors.
“Having worked with Brian during our time in the NFL, I’ve seen firsthand his ability to lead with vision and collaboration, and to deliver results,” said Blank, the head of the search committee as well as the owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. “He understands what it takes to elevate a global sports brand—and I’m confident he’ll bring that same energy and excellence to the PGA Tour.”
