Brian Rolapp sends LIV Golf an open ended message when asked about bringing back the best players

Brian Rolapp, the current Chief Executive Officer of the PGA Tour, sent a message to the Saudi PIF-backed golf league during a press conference.

The former NFL Chief Media and Business Officer was asked by the reporters if he thinks that it is a priority to bring all the best golfers in the world back together or not. The PGA Tour CEO had an open-ended response to that question.

Brian Rolapp claimed that all the best golfers are currently on the Tour. He said:

"I would offer to you that the best collection of golfers in the world are on the PGA Tour. I think there's a bunch of metrics that demonstrate that, from rankings to viewership to whatever you want to pick. I'm going to lean into that and strengthen..."

However, he was also quite open to exploring all options needed to enrich the PGA Tour. Brian Rolapp said:

"I will also say that to the extent we can do anything that's going to further strengthen the PGA TOUR, we'll do that, and I'm interested in exploring whatever strengthens the PGA TOUR."

NUCLR GOLF covered this part of Rolapp's statement from the conference at East Lake Golf Club. Take a look at their post on X:

Screenshot from NUCLR Golf's X post on Rolapp's statement / @NUCLRGOLF on X

It has been only around 18 days since Brian Rolapp started in his job. However, the newly appointed PGA Tour CEO is already making plans for the post-season of golf, a balanced competitive model of the Tour, and increasing fan interactions.

The new LIV Golf CEO, Scott O'Neil, and Brian Rolapp are longtime friends. However, the latter's statement from Wednesday's conference hinted towards the PGA Tour having more priorities rather than unification with LIV Golf.

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When Scott O'Neil suggested a way for unification with Brian Rolapp as the PGA Tour CEO

Since the arrival of the Saudi PIF-backed golf league, the world of professional golf has been witnessing a divide.

Shortly after Brian Rolapp started leading the PGA Tour, LIV Golf's newly-appointed CEO recently praised his old friend and hinted at less division inside golf. Scott O'Neil said (quoted by Sports Pro):

"He is really early in his job, I think he’s two weeks in, and most importantly we have less scar tissue. That’s throughout the whole industry."

While talking about the unification, O'Neil hinted at a possible way to bring golfers together. He also questioned the ongoing divide in professional golf:

"I am new, the LPGA commissioner is new, Brian at the PGA Tour is new... I think we have got to find a way to put more players playing together... Why are we competing against ourselves so much?"

However, Rolapp is currently focused on strengthening the PGA Tour through its core. He recently announced the Future Competition Committee, chaired by Tiger Woods, to observe and improve the Tour's Competitive Model.