CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Jay Monahan’s plan was to leave as PGA Tour commissioner at the end of the year, and now it’s official. Along with approving a new competition model that starts in 2028, the PGA Tour boards elected CEO Brian Rolapp as the next commissioner.
Rolapp was the first CEO in PGA Tour history when he was hired a year ago, and next year he will be the first to hold both titles.
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Monahan’s future was always murky after he lost the trust of players for the surprise deal with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf in June 2023. An agreement for the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to become a minority investor never happen, though the agreement ended all anti-trust litigation.
He was on the search committee that hired Rolapp as CEO, and Monahan has been somewhat of a golf whisperer to bring Rolapp, a longtime NFL executive, up to speed.
“This transition from Jay to Brian has been a textbook transition,” said Joe Gorder, the former Valero executive who is chairman of the PGA Tour boards. “Jay has done an incredible job supporting Brian, providing his wisdom and counsel to Brian, and being there every step of the way.
“The fact that these two have worked so well and collaborated so well really gives the board total confidence in this decision that we’ve made for Brian to take the role as commissioner, also.”
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Monahan has not said what he plans to do when he steps down at the end of the year. He expressed confidence in the direction the PGA Tour is going.
“Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work very closely with Brian,” Monahan said. “What has impressed me most is not only his strategic vision … but also the way he listens, the way he builds trust, and the way he brings people together.
“He also has a remarkable ability to balance innovation with respect for our traditions in this game, while keeping our players, fans and partners at the center of every decision.”
Niemann misses out on a Masters invitation by one shot
The adage that every shot matters in golf takes on a special meaning for Joaquin Niemann after what happened to him at the U.S. Open.
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The USGA chose not to issue a conduct warning and straight to a two-shot penalty for Niemann heaving a sand wedge after having put two tee shots out-of-bounds. His 9 on the hole turned into an 11, and his 76 for the opening round turned into a 78.
It’s not as simple as taking two shots off his final score because there’s no telling how he would have reacted had Niemann started closer to the lead, or what kind of weather he faced given the difference in his tee time.
He shot 65 in the second round to make the cut. He closed with a 66 to tie for seventh — missing by one shot being among the top four who get invitations to the Masters next year.
Niemann will be in the British Open as the leading available player in LIV Golf points. But LIV has a limited schedule the rest of the way, and the 27-year-old from Chile will not have access to top world ranking points the rest of the year.
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He was ready to move on when he left Shinnecock Hills. He said he was not proud of his behavior, though he did feel as though the USGA made an example of him. A conduct policy always was going to have a level of subjectivity.
Still, it was peculiar to slap a two-shot penalty on a player for throwing the club — even if it did go close to 80 yards — on a hole with no spectators around late Thursday.
Dustin Johnson debating British Open qualifier
Dustin Johnson’s 10-year exemption to the U.S. Open from winning in 2016 at Oakmont ran out this year. His five-year exemption to the British Open from his 2020 Masters victory ran out this year.
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He is exempt to the Masters for life, but he’s not ready to entirely give up on the majors. Johnson has entered final regional qualifying for the British Open, and is scheduled to play next Tuesday at Dundonald Links in Scotland alongside Angel Hidalgo of Spain and Connor Graham, the Scot who went 2-1-1 in the Walker Cup last year.
Johnson said he still hadn’t made up his mind whether to go. He would have preferred a different course than Dundonald Links, and qualifying is two weeks before the British Open.
Johnson would be one of 11 players from LIV Golf in the four qualifiers, each offering five spots. That list includes Sergio Garcia, Peter Uihlein, Thomas Detry and Carlos Ortiz.
FedEx Cup moves for Tom Kim and Keith Mitchell
Tom Kim was only trying to make a few putts coming down the stretch in the U.S. Open. A bogey on the par-3 17th ended his chances and he shot 70 to finish third. It was enough to secure a return to the Masters and the U.S. Open next year.
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It also was big for the rest of the year. Kim’s exemption on the PGA Tour from winning in Las Vegas in 2023 ends after this year. He was at No. 98 in the FedEx Cup going into the U.S. Open. His finish moved him up to No. 55, momentum toward the postseason and maybe getting in all the $20 million signature events next year.
Keith Mitchell had four straight rounds of even-par 70 and tied for fourth. That moved him from No. 66 to No. 45 in the FedEx Cup. He has not finished among the top 50 since the signature events became part of the schedule in 2024.
A British Open exemption category that might go unused
The R&A is not keeping up with the times by keeping the criteria that offers a British Open exemption to the leading five players from among the top 20 in the FedEx Cup through the Travelers Championship.
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Everyone from the top 29 going into the Travelers already is exempt — Bud Cauley at No. 30 would have the best chance to grab one spot, leaving four unused.
This could be the third time in the last five years that category goes unused.
First came a chance in the Official World Golf Ranking formula that led to higher points for the PGA Tour. Plus, anyone winning a PGA Tour event to move high in the FedEx Cup is likely to have earned a spot already through being top 50 in the world.
When categories are unused, it typically leads to more spots available on the reserve list, which is based on the world ranking.
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Divots
Nelly Korda leads the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average on the LPGA by an average of 1.15 strokes over Hyo Joo Kim. … Xander Schauffele tied for 11th in the U.S. Open. He has never finished out of the top 15 in the U.S. Open dating to his debut in 2017. … This might require an asterisk because LIV Golf wasn’t getting world ranking points, but Wyndham Clark winning the U.S. Open at No. 34 in the world means the last four U.S. Open champions (Clark, J.J. Spaun, Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Fitzpatrick) all were outside the top 20 in the world ranking when they won.
Stat of the week
Sam Burns is the only player to finish among the top 10 in each of the last three U.S. Opens.
Final word
“A little bit of carnage is necessary at a U.S. Open.” — Xander Schauffele.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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