Brian Rolapp announced sweeping changes to the PGA Tour, including a much-needed alteration to the playoffs.
Speaking at a press conference prior to The Players Championship, the PGA Tour CEO announced plans to introduce a promotion-and-relegation system, shorten the schedule to just over 20 events, and change the postseason format.
Rolapp said he plans to change the Tour Championship, or the entire playoffs, to a match-play format, with the best players in the world going head-to-head in the final events of the year. He added that there were no finalised plans, but this was his wish.
This change has been called for by golf fans for years, and it’s exciting to hear that they could be implemented. The Tour Championship has felt less like a grand finale and more a regular PGA Tour event in recent years, so this would be a welcome change.
But what do the players think? Speaking after Rolapp’s press conference, Max Homa shared his thoughts on the PGA Tour’s plans.
Max Homa says Tour Championship has been a “tough watch”
Six-time PGA Tour winner Homa welcomed the potential changes to the PGA Tour playoffs, and he’s happy the fans are being listened to.
Speaking to Kay Adams on Up and Adams, he said, ““I just look at it from the golf fan’s perspective, and I would like that. I know it’s hard on TV, and it can be tough to watch at times if you only have one group going out there.
“Because golf’s slow, we’re going to have to walk in between shots. If they wanna give us a cart, I’ll take one!
“I like it. Sports fans, in general, like the finality of things. You look at the Super Bowl, it’s two teams, it’s so easy to digest. Golf, at times, when it’s at its best, there’s 10 guys around the lead, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“Something about the build-up of two guys going head-to-head on a Sunday in the same group, I think there’s a joy to that. So I look forward to that if it does come.
“They’ve got to do something. Just lean into whatever the fans want to see. Let’s try that. I think the Tour Championship has been a bit of a tough watch, which is sad as of late, because it’s the last event of the year.
“It hasn’t been very exciting, especially with the stagger, because at best you’re going to have two guys on the weekend, and when Scottie was going, you couldn’t get close. But this, no matter what, will be exciting on the last day.”
Brian Rolapp agrees with Max Homa about PGA Tour fans
It’s no wonder that Rolapp’s press conference has gone down well with the fans after he explained his approach to his role as CEO.
In his press conference, Rolapp said, “There are all sorts of models being talked about: Medal match play, other things. Nothing has been decided, and it would be a waste to debate that here.
“I think a lot of the motivation comes from our fans and our partners who want to see more drama in the events that they attend. I mean, again, the sports business is not that hard; just think like a fan, and nine and a half times out of ten, that’s probably the right answer.
“I think we’ve heard that consistently, but what’s important, and I don’t know why it hasn’t worked in the past, and I won’t comment on that, but I think what is important, and I’ve had some conversation with players about this, it has to feel authentic.
“If it’s not authentic to them, if the competition isn’t authentic to them, if it is, for lack of a better word, gimmicky, it’s not going to work for anybody, including our fans.
“So I think those are a lot of the debates we’re having in the committee about how to do that. There’s certainly places in the golf world where match play does work and that competitors and fans like it. So we’re working through that.”
The message from Rolapp is clear: fans first. That should be music to everyone’s ears.
