New PGA Tour CEO Given Blunt 11-Word Message From 6x Winner: ‘Tour Is Whole…’

The PGA Tour is entering a new era, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. In a bold leadership shake-up, NFL media executive Brian Rolapp is stepping in as CEO, ushered in by Commissioner Jay Monahan, who called him the Tour’s “singular future leader.” Known for transforming how the NFL reaches fans, Rolapp now faces a new challenge: guiding the Tour into its next media chapter as its $700 million-a-year broadcast deal with CBS and NBC winds down toward its 2030 expiration. But this is more than just a leadership change. It’s a power pivot in the middle of a fast-moving sports media revolution. As Monahan begins an 18-month handoff, Rolapp will be charged with navigating shifting platforms, changing viewer habits, and a generation of fans who expect more access, more content, and more connection.

But as all eyes turn to what comes next commercially, six-time Tour winner Lucas Glover wants to make sure the broader player base isn’t left behind. Glover shared on The Lucas Glover Show that when he recently met Rolapp at the Travelers Championship, he immediately asked about next week’s full-field event in Detroit.

“And I asked, I said, any chance you’re going to Detroit next week? He goes, I am. And that thrilled me just because we’re covering all our bases here.” For Glover, the message was clear: the PGA Tour isn’t just about the top 70 players who tee it up at elevated events, but about everyone grinding for their moment. “If you’re going to meet the top guys, you got to meet the rest of the membership, too,” he said.

Glover, who’s long pushed for better representation of the full Tour roster alongside fellow veteran Mike Weir, said Rolapp’s plans to also engage with players in Detroit gave him real hope. “The tour is the whole membership, not just the top guys. And that made my day to hear that, that he was going to go basically have the same meeting next week and meet the whole membership, or as many as possible in two weeks.” Glover’s reaction reflects a growing sense among players that Rolapp is taking the right first steps, and he’s obviously not alone in feeling that shift. Let’s look at Jordan Spieth’s recent meeting with the new CEO.

Jordan Spieth: ‘There’s good momentum right now’

Lucas Glover isn’t the only one sensing optimism. Jordan Spieth, one of the Tour’s marquee players, also met with Rolapp at the Travelers Championship and came away impressed. “I mean, just seems like there is some good momentum right now,” he told Golf Channel after their conversation. Spieth was particularly encouraged by Rolapp’s NFL media background, especially with massive media rights negotiations looming in golf’s near future. “Given that was his specialty on the NFL side, I think he did a great job explaining what he did there and what he has to learn in the time being,” Spieth said.

He also praised Jay Monahan’s role in recruiting Rolapp and setting the stage for a smooth transition: “Jay has been awesome in the process, too… I think there is a lot of upside in a world of golf that has obviously been in a crazy place the last couple of years.” Together, Glover and Spieth’s comments paint a clear picture: players are cautiously optimistic, not just about who Rolapp is, but about how he’s approaching the job. As the PGA Tour faces a pivotal stretch, it’s clear that what matters most to its stars—top-ranked or not—is being seen, heard, and included in the future being built.