Has the impending exit of Jay Monahan opened the doors for the PIF-PGA Tour merger to be concluded? That was the assumption when Greg Norman also left the hot seat earlier this year. The arrival of Scott O’Neil made it look like the relationship between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf was healing. The new CEO was widely accepted by most in the golf community, including Jay Monahan himself, Tiger Woods, and the ANGC leaders. With the PGA Tour commissioner also on his way out by 2026, the new man in charge, Brian Rolapp, brings something more to the table that might help push the negotiations ahead. Rolapp and O’Neil know each other from their time at Harvard.
Yes, the two leaders of the opposing Tours have been long associated with one another for years. That has raised the hopes of the PIF-PGA Tour merger getting completed. But despite their connection, one of LIV Golf’s biggest golfers was more hopeful than positive.
In an interview preceding LIV Golf Dallas 2025, Jon Rahm was asked, “You’ve been in the game a long time and you know the value of personal relationships with people and sponsors. Can the personal relationship that Scott O’Neil has with the new Tour CEO, Brian Rolapp, the relationship, going back to business, can that help the two tours, the fact that those two guys have a relationship of some sort?”
The relationship between the two authorities has been the talk of the town recently. Amid the transition to new management, everyone, including the media, is expecting progress in the merger conversation. However, Rahm views the situation slightly differently. He said, “I feel like that’s a question for obviously both the CEOs, right? Whatever I say is speculation,” warding off any rumors of him being involved in any such conversation. Even though he is a respected figure in LIV Golf, Rahm’s involvement in the merger conversation is bound to be limited as his primary role focuses on performing on the course.
To further clarify the current situation, the Spaniard added, “I would hope that them having a close relationship from the past should help facilitate at least the dialogue between them two, but at the end of the day, it’s not just up to them. There’s also people behind them and higher up than them that would ultimately make the decision. Things are never as simple as they seem. But I would like to be positive about it and think that that would help it out.”
Just like the fans, Jon Rahm also seems to be hopeful about the merger conversation progressing. However, in reality, Scott O’Neil and Brian Rolapp are not the only individuals who can influence the deal. It’s primarily being controlled by the leaders of the Public Investment Fund and the PGA of America management, which is not an entity of the PGA Tour. Even then, it’s good to have two CEOs on the same side of things instead of the constant conflicts that fans witness between Jay Monahan & Greg Norman.
via Getty
While Scott O’Neil may have been more pro-PGA Tour, his recent actions might also be a sign of warning for Brian Rolapp to tread carefully. Let’s see what the LIV Golf commissioner has been up to.
Scott O’Neil is taking LIV Golf to the next level
The competition between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is at the highest level at the moment. While Brian Rolapp’s league is consistently proving to drive the numbers, Scott O’Neil is able to attract more opportunities for his Tour. The new LIV Golf CEO welcomed Fox Sports as their broadcast partners soon after replacing Greg Norman. He also pushed for LIV Golf Riyadh 2025 to be hosted after sundown to be more suitable for the primetime of the American audience.
Most recently, O’Neil and LIV Golf have made a deal with the Louisiana state government to host an event in 2026. The authorities have also promised to upgrade the Bayou Oaks golf course at New Orleans City Park up to the standards required for LIV Golf events in order to host LIV Golf Louisiana in the near future. Looks like Scott O’Neil and LIV Golf are moving ahead, whether the merger goes through or not. Brian Rolapp will need to raise the stakes in order to push the conversation ahead if they still envision a deal on the horizon.
