August 24, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Scottie Scheffler hits a shot off the 17th tee during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Urgency remains a factor in the PGA Tour product overhaul, but CEO Brian Rolapp said getting the final vision for the future of the sport right is an ongoing focus.
Rolapp announced plans Wednesday to double the number of Signature events to 16, add the four existing Majors and designate a secondary Tier II event that builds on the Signature tournaments. He said the ideal number of tournaments from late January to early September is 21 to 26.
“No decisions have been made,” Rolapp said.
“I’m a big believer in transparency, even if my answer is ‘I don’t know’. I feel obligated to do that. I’ve probably had 70 conversations with the players, but if you ask me what most people think about this plan, I can’t answer.”
He said starting the season with marquee events at iconic courses on the West Coast is another part of the PGA Tour’s larger vision.
Rolapp spoke at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., ahead of the Players Championship on Wednesday and offered his thoughts on a number of issues.
Among them: Part of the current plan is to sequentially roll out broad changes to the schedule as Rolapp continues to work closely with Tiger Woods and future tournament committees.
“We are very grateful to Tiger Woods for his service on this committee,” Rolapp said. “Honestly, I’m really grateful to the athletic directors who serve on the committee at different stages in their careers. There’s been some tension along the way, which means we’re making progress.”
Rolapp touched on potential upgrades to the tour model from simplified rankings and adjustments to the current postseason model.
“What you will have is a true meritocracy,” Rolapp said, tracing the premise of the amendments to bring about “the most compelling events.”
Bigger markets where the PGA Tour wants more presence include Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Rolapp believes there is ample opportunity to keep most current events on schedule going forward. The big market covets a playoff event, and Rolapp didn’t rule out moving the Tour Championship from East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, the traditional final event of the playoffs.
The current playoff model includes three events ending in East Lake. Rolapp wants “strong competition that members care about and fans care about.”
“We are actively discussing this, but no decisions have been made yet,” he said.
Rolapp said the PGA Tour is considering adding a match play element to its postseason schedule. Because unanimous feedback from players and fans shows that “they want more drama.”
He dismissed the idea of defining “scarcity” in scheduling as meaning fewer events each year.
“What it means is that we will make the event more meaningful,” he said.
With other leagues, including the NFL, publicly attempting to double down on their media rights, Rolapp said all other sports and leagues are getting “sorted out” through increased revenue opportunities.
“We’re trying to make the PGA Tour better,” Rolapp said when asked about the planned merger with LIV Golf. He has made it clear in several statements that the messy merger talks with LIV Golf are “not a priority.”
Rolapp expects progress to be made at the next public update after the June 22 board meeting. He said the committee was “created to do the hard work” of bringing together a multifaceted vision.
–Field level media
