Jon Rahm gives verdict on latest PGA Tour news: "At the end of the day, it's not just up to them"

Jon Rahm refused to speculate about what the implications will be for LIV Golf after it emerged the PGA Tour's new chief executive has history with the breakaway tour's boss. 

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed before the Travelers Championship he will be leaving his post at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign. 

Brian Rolapp has been appointed as the Tour's first chief executive and will gradually take over Monahan's day-to-day responsibilities. 

Rolapp has more than two decades worth of experience with the National Football League, most recently as chief media and business officer. 

He also has history with LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil, who replaced Greg Norman at the turn of the year. 

Rolapp and O'Neil were classmates at Harvard Business School in the late 1990s and, judging by previous correspondence on X, have always been on good terms. 

It has been suggested this will only be a positive should the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's backers - the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia - resume talks to end the conflict in men's golf. 

The PGA Tour announced a 'framework agreement' with the PIF on 6 June 2023 but it appears likely at this point no deal will ever come to pass, despite intervention from the White House. 

According to the Guardian, the PGA Tour rejected a $1.5bn offer of investment from the PIF before The Masters. 

LIV chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan reportedly left the White House fuming at the PGA Tour's apathy towards team golf and a dismal valuation of $500m, according to Golfweek. 

Rahm was asked before LIV's stop in Dallas if the relationship between Rolapp and O'Neil could boost chances of a deal being struck. 

"I feel like that's a question for obviously both the CEOs," Rahm said. "Whatever I say is speculation. It's not what they know.

"I would hope that them having a close relationship from the past should help facilitate at least the dialogue between them two, but at the end of the day, it's not just up to them. 

"There's also people behind them and higher up than them that would ultimately make the decision.

"Things are never as simple as they seem. But I would like to be positive about it and think that that would help it out."