Jay Monahan's Complicated Legacy as PGA Tour Commissioner

With the announcement that Brian Rolapp is set to assume Jay Monahan’s responsibilities, the PGA Tour has upgraded its leadership by default. Monahan, who has stated his intent to remain with the Tour through the end of 2026, leaves behind a complicated legacy – one marked by constant self-contradictions, platitudes, and a lack of vision.

To his credit, Monahan oversaw an admirable effort by the Tour to get professional golf back up and running during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quick return to play required courage and leadership from the Tour, especially as positive tests spurred backlash to the Tour’s return to competition. Monahan and the rest of the Tour’s leadership deserve credit for sticking to their game plan and navigating a tricky situation in the face of public pressure.

He also managed to keep most sponsors on board during the emergence of LIV Golf, a period that threatened the Tour’s position as the only game in town. Whether current purse sizes and sponsorship levels are sustainable is a separate question, but Monahan did, at least for the time being, keep the lights on at PGA Tour HQ.

But was his tenure defined by bold, innovative ideas that pushed the Tour forward? Of course not. He stumbled over his words every time he couldn’t escape from a microphone, underestimated LIV Golf at every turn, invoked 9/11 families when denouncing the Saudis only to turn around and negotiate with the PIF a year later, and recycled essentially the same PGA Tour schedule year after year until competition in the marketplace finally forced his hand. He oversaw both the creation and retirement of the Player Impact Program, the rare $100M prize fund that nobody supported. Under his leadership, the PGA Tour remained steadfast in its opposition to an equipment rollback, vilifying the USGA and R&A in the process, while the professional sport continued to drift further out of balance. The Tour’s resistance to responsible governance is an important piece of Monahan’s legacy.

Whenever Monahan’s official departure comes, it will be a win for the golf world. At worst, he was an aimless, divisive leader willing to say anything that kept his job intact. At best, he was an empty suit during a period the PGA Tour needed a leader with golf IQ and a backbone.

Incoming CEO Brian Rolapp’s vision for the future of professional golf remains to be seen. However, if his tenure restores confidence in the competence of PGA Tour leadership, he will represent a massive upgrade to the shoes he’s been tapped to fill.

‍This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.