Question of the week [June 23-29]: What should be new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp's top priorities as he transitions into the position that will succeed current commissioner Jay Monahan?
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I see several priorities for Brian Rolapp when he takes the reins of the PGA Tour:
1. Secure long term sponsorship for the Signature Events to make them sustainable.
2. Based on current contract expiration dates, secure TV/media rights to extended or new contracts.
3. Devise an entry system for LIV Golf players who want to return to the PGA Tour. That’s assuming the two tours are never going to merge or work together to a point where all players are playing together — particularly top players who provide a better viewing product. This could be an essential element of new media contracts.
4. For Signature Events, provide a "next in" to replace early withdrawals for qualified players to ensure full fields and additional playing opportunities. Also, add a cut with a token purse amount, say $10,000-$15,000, for those who do not make the cut. This distributes more money to better tournament performers and eliminates the inflated $40,000 or so to show up and finish last.
5. Work on the Tour calendar to separate the Signature Events from the majors.
Barry Duckworth
Knoxville Tennessee
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How do you grow the game by shrinking it? I think the answer is: More star players and a smaller field equates to more revenue and eyeballs. I kind of see it in the short term, but it seems quite flawed in terms of a longer term growth strategy.
Do you turn your back on smaller markets like Hartford that are wildly successful? The PGA Tour, at present, does not have Signature Events in the largest North American markets such as New York City, Chicago, Houston and Toronto. The global markets of London, Paris, Tokyo, China, and Australia are profoundly underserved by the PGA Tour and a potential source of growth.
The goal is to drive sustainable growth before the 2030 U.S. TV contract comes up for renewal. Brian Rolapp is well equipped to deal with all this, and it will be interesting to see how he positions the Tour going into 2030.
Reid Farrill
Toronto, Ontario
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Fix slow play. The PGA Tour's slow play has destroyed public golf. Everyone thinks they have to mimic the pros now.
Walt David
Fort Mill, South Carolina
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Understanding he is a Masters champion, can CBS ditch analyst Trevor Immelman? He is terrible. A full 50-plus percent of his comments are "Mm-hmm," no matter what the situation is. If there were a drinking game for this, an individual might be drunk in the first 30 minutes of coverage. How about think outside the box? Bring in Tony Romo to pair with Jim Nantz right through football? He definitely knows the game well enough.
Michael Boyle
Crestwood, Illinois
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Great question. I doubt the PGA Tour cares as it is a professional golfers association and not a fans association.
The first priority is to resolve the LIV Golf-PGA Tour partnership in a way that is mutually beneficial. Make it a positive instead of a distraction. I could craft a solution in less than eight hours.
Make the PGA Tour, on a week-to-week basis, more challenging. It makes no sense that winning players are 15 under during 90% of the weeks and barely 5 under is the winning score twice a year. Yes, we want entertainment. Love to see great shots and birdies to illustrate how good they are. The equivalent would be baseball fields have easier outfield dimensions in the regular season and more challenging dimensions for the World Series.
It is an interesting dynamic, the more relatable pros are, the more appealing they are. This leads to more people who play and that makes advertising more valuable, which means players earn more. Players who balk at interviews and are unrelatable are bad for the game of golf.
Mike Powers
Powder Springs, Georgia
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THE TIRING DRAMA OF SLOW PLAY
I am so tired of watching these golfers who lineup shots, waggle, etc. I just don’t understand why the PGA Tour doesn’t penalize slow players. I think it’s a lot easier than what anyone is saying and the commissioner should step in and immediately correct that.
Steve Pratt
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
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Front: A wide view of the PGA Tour clock at sunrise before the 2020 CJ Cup's second round at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo: Ken Murray | Golffile