Multiple PGA Tour winner issues warning to CEO Brian Rolapp

Kevin Kisner says PGA Tour boss Brian Rolapp should consider dramatically overhauling the senior circuit to keep the superstars relevant.

Rolapp joined the PGA Tour as chief executive in June 2025 and will take over as commissioner from Jay Monahan when the 56-year-old steps down from the position at the end of the year.

The former NFL executive has already overseen some of the most significant changes to the PGA Tour in years, including a two-series model, which is set to be introduced in 2028.

But Kisner warned on the latest episode of the Fore Play podcast that the current crop of PGA Tour stars are unlikely to play on the over-50s tour in the future because of the amount of money they are playing for today.

He told the podcast: "When Brian Rolapp got the job as Tour CEO, he made it his mission to call everyone with a tour card and ask, 'What do we do well and what can we do better?'

"I spent a long time on the phone with Brian early on in his career, and he asked me what was going to be one of the biggest challenges of his job as CEO.

"And I told him, 'The cycle of your superstars is going to change dramatically in your lifetime as CEO because these guys are playing for so much money now. 

"And you're not going to have guys who are playing the Champions Tour at 50 to still pay their bills because of the money they're playing for.'

"Your Justin Thomases, your Jordan Spieths, your Rory McIlroys at that point. They're just not going to play at 50 years old for $300,000 when they have $200m in the bank. It just doesn't add up.

"In my opinion, if you want to keep your superstars relevant, you either have to lower the level of the Champions Tour or do away with it completely because it's not a big winner for the PGA Tour as far as revenue. It loses. 

"All my Champions Tour buddies are going to come at me for that one. But it's just not."

Kisner referenced Steven Alker's recent victory at The Ally Challenge to illustrate his point.

Alker held off challenges from Retief Goosen, Greg Chalmers, Stewart Cink and Michael Block to claim his 13th PGA Tour Champions victory.

"He never made money on the PGA Tour," said Kisner.

"He's out there playing for his livelihood, and good for him. I hope he wins every tournament and makes millions of dollars.

"But there's no way you're going to talk Jordan Spieth into playing that tour and continuing to help boost your ratings.

"I think that's going to be one of the biggest challenges of where the PGA Tour goes in all this restructuring."

The aforementioned McIlroy, 37, has emphatically ruled out playing professional golf beyond the age of 50. 

Last March, the two-time Masters champion said something would've gone "terribly wrong" if he were to still be competing at that age. 

"I will not play Champions Tour golf," he said.  

"Look, I've said a lot of absolutes in my time that I've walked back, but I do not envision playing Champions Tour golf"

McIlroy also appeared to suggest at the conclusion of the Tour Championship last Sunday that his enthusiasm for the sport, in general, appears to be waning. 

"I think once you start to lose your enthusiasm to go to the course, it's time to take a break," he said. 

"Look, I've turned up to events that I haven't necessarily wanted to be there because I feel like I should be there, and I've never… like if I'm going to show up to a tournament, I want to perform at my best and play my best, and there's been times when I haven't done that.

"It's frustrating to me, but it's also at the same time like no one wants to see me just go through the motions and be out there. 

"I feel like this is my third week in a row. I rarely do that anymore. 

"I feel like that's my limit, like if I had to tee it up again next week like when the playoffs used to be four events instead of three, that to me is tough. 

"I think the last time I played four in a row might have been in 2024, and in the fourth week, I was like I'm done. I'm never doing this again.

"Again, I'm 37. I've been at this, this is my 18th or 19th year as a pro. Maybe my fuse is a little shorter than it used to be."