PGA Tour CEO’s New Hirings May Lead to Merger With LIV Golf, Claims Insider

LIV Golf is spending a lot more than it’s earning. That was made evident when it was revealed that the PIF had suffered losses worth a whopping $1.4 billion since its inception. No amount of content creation from Bryson DeChambeau or the star power of Jon Rahm could have saved them from that.

However, there is one way they can still save face in the coming years and actually make a profit. But they will have to depend on the PGA Tour’s new CEO, Brian Rolapp, for that. That’s what Eamon Lynch thinks as he laid out the scenario in his latest take on the landscape of golf. And he had a lot to say after Brian Rolapp hired his former associates from the NFL, Dhruv Prasad and Paul Hicks.

In the latest article on Golfweek, Lynch said, “There’s one issue that will signal whether there’s daylight between Rolapp’s agenda and SSG’s bean-counting — subsidies. Not to the Champions Tour, which is often cited as the unworthy recipient of grudging largesse from head office.”

“Miller Brady, the president of the silver circuit, has ably reduced that annual bung from tens of millions of dollars to a mere rounding error on John Henry’s credit card, and with even a lame Tiger Woods turning 50, it’s not worth nickel and diming.” 

Despite the probability of Tiger Woods joining the Champions Tour next season, Brian Rolapp decided to reduce the pension funds for the senior golfers by 20% from $10 million to $8 million.

And apparently, the new CEO is not the only one to be blamed here, as the Senior Tour president, Miller Brady, is also heavily involved in slashing the funds. Lynch revealed that the funds are being redirected to strengthen the relations with the DP World Tour. “Under the terms of that alliance, Ponte Vedra is now spending a significant sum to guarantee purses on the DP World Tour. In 2027, the PGA Tour can force a deal renegotiation or exit.”

“According to two sources, the price tag to remain and consolidate its equity stake could creep into nine figures, which is a predictable sore point for the SSG investors, whose ambitions don’t yet show evidence of extending beyond U.S. borders. And guys who are unconcerned with elevating the game globally or who view things only through the prism of commerce might see Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as a welcome hedge for that obligation.”

Apparently, the deal between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour is coming to an end in 2027. Once that occurs, Brian Rolapp will be in a great position to renegotiate on better terms. And considering that they are focusing on profitability with a lack of interest in expanding globally, the PIF would seem a more lucrative prospect for them than the European Tour. However, there is one big issue with collaborating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi.

“Debate about the viability of a deal between the Tour and the Saudis has focused on what components of LIV Golf might need to be adopted. Since the league is an execrable embarrassment with no commercial or audience traction, there’s nothing worth co-opting. But PIF desperately needs a face-saving solution and could be banking on the PGA Tour giving them a green light to partner with the Europeans, thereby lessening Ponte Vedra’s financial commitment.”

The entire setup of LIV Golf is something that Brian Rolapp and the PGA Tour might not find appealing. And if Yasir Al-Rumayyan insists on integrating their league into the deal, then Scott O’Neil will need to make a lot of changes to abide by the norms of the PGA Tour. That is a major obstacle that LIV Golf has been hesitant to cross ever since its initiation. It is what has probably kept them from receiving authorization for their events and OWGR status for their players as well.

However, it was Greg Norman who was against the idea of changing the format of LIV Golf. But will Scott O’Neil also follow the same route and create conflicts with Brian Rolapp? Let’s consider the possibilities.

Will Scott O’Neil be open to changes in LIV Golf to improve the relationship with Brian Rolapp?

When Scott O’Neil was hired, he only had 30 days to take over operations from Greg Norman before the 2025 season began. Within the month’s period, he signed a deal with Fox Sports, organized the first LIV Golf nighttime event, and was able to execute his plans efficiently. After nearly a year of taking over the job, the LIV Golf boss admitted that he didn’t have a very successful season, but did all he could with what he had.

However, going into the 2026 season, O’Neil will have a better grasp of his role. He also has a connection with Brian Rolapp from before their time as leaders of competing golf Tours. Moreover, unlike Greg Norman, he is a qualified businessman who knows what it will take to grow LIV Golf.

So, there is a very good chance that Scott O’Neil might not repeat the mistakes his predecessor made and might adapt to the requirements for success. And if and when the call comes from Brian Rolapp, the LIV Golf boss will be ready to answer it with a constructive plan of his own.