While the feud between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has divided the professional golf world for years, there has been one monumental change as negotiations move toward 2026. Or two. There’s a new sheriff in town, on both sides of the argument.
New LIV CEO Scott O’Neil and his new counterpart, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, took control of their respective tours this year, offering new perspectives on the dispute that has dragged on since 2022.
Can the new bosses provide a new path to ending the Gulf War? At a recent media event, O’Neil suggested as much, admitting that the two new CEOs have had discussions and have a “common vision” to bring the golf world back together.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who are Scott O’Neil and Brian Rolapp?
From the start, LIV Golf was led by Greg Norman, who was a crucial figure from the start. But Norman also proved to be the most divisive figure in the feud.
His frequent vitriol towards the PGA Tour, returned in kind by figures on the Tour side, only widened the rift between the two sides.
In November, word leaked that Norman would be kicked out of LIV. O’Neil, an American sports executive, took over the role of CEO in January this year.
After taking over the position, O’Neil told GOLF that he and LIV Golf “have this wonderful mission to grow the game of golf. To bring the best players to the four corners of the earth.”
While Norman led LIV in its early years, former commissioner Jay Monahan led the PGA Tour. Although Monahan was more civil in his public comments than Norman, he devised a zero-tolerance strategy to counter the rise of LIV Golf, banning players who joined the upstart circuit and encouraging PGA Tour players to speak out against it.
In August, Monahan was replaced by Rolapp, the NFL’s former chief media officer and executive director.
And Rolapp offered some promising quotes about the future of golf.
“We’re going to honor the tradition, but we won’t be too tied to it,” Rolapp said. “The goal is not incremental change. The goal is significant change.”
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil admits he has had discussions with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp
This week O’Neil participated in Sportico’s Invest in Sports conferencealong with figures like former MLB great Alex Rodriguez and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
During his appearance, O’Neil was asked about the status of negotiations with the PGA Tour and O’Neil made a big reveal: He and Rolapp have had discussions about the future of pro golf.
“We’ve spoken a few times,” O’Neil admitted.
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That news alone would represent a major change from the way the previous leaders behaved. But what O’Neil said the two CEOs talked about added more hope for the many who want to see golf’s best players all play together again.
“Overall, we have a common view on what the golf landscape could or should be in the coming years,” O’Neil said of he and Rolapp’s shared vision. “There is an opportunity for the entire golf world to come together and grow this pie.”
But there were other signs this week countering hopes of a long-term truce or merger in the professional game.
LIV Golf announced it would change its tournaments from 54 to 72 holes in a bid to gain recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking. That is a major change that has been implemented with an eye to the future.
On the other hand, the PGA Tour stated that they would not grant releases to PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour Champions players to participate in the LIV Promotions event scheduled for early January in Florida.
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