PGA Tour chief insists LIV Golf chaos didn't affect major shake-up

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp insists the Tiger Woods-chaired Future Competition Committee (FCC) did not change its approach after Saudi Arabia announced it will withdraw its multibillion dollar backing of LIV Golf. 

On Tuesday, Rolapp outlined how promotion and relegation will be a key element of a revamped PGA Tour in 2028. 

The proposed schedule changes will mean that the best players will compete in the "Championship Series" in 120-man fields with a 36-hole cut and minimum purses of $20m. 

Beneath this level, the "Challenger Series" will run concurrently with purses of at least $4m. 

The top 90 players at the end of the season will retain their spots in the top tier, with approximately 20 players switching level every season based on their performance. 

The changes were formally by the approved by the PGA Tour's policy board after being put forward by the Woods-fronted FCC. 

Patrick Cantlay reportedly abstained from voting. 

Asked if the FCC changed their approach after news broke LIV Golf will no longer be funded by Saudi Arabia's PIF at the end of the season, Rolapp said: "It's a good question.

"I've been pretty public by saying whatever happened with LIV or happened in the golf ecosystem before I got here, there was some good that came of it in that it maybe exposed some weaknesses in the PGA TOUR and our model, but this work was never about that.

"This work was about, whether LIV existed or not, for all the reasons I talked about, in this competitive landscape we operate in, how do you actually make the PGA Tour the best version of itself? 

"Because if you're not changing and getting better, you can't expect to improve. That's what the marketplace necessitates."

Rolapp, who has also been officially named as the next commissioner, added: "This was never about any competition. 

"It was more about how do we compete successfully in a really competitive world where there are a million things for people's time and attention. 

"We're really interested in serving PGA Tour fans, but we're really interested in growing the fan base and to people who have never experienced the PGA Tour. 

"We want to make the sport and the Tour much more accessible, and we think these are the changes that will do that."

Several former LIV Golf players have re-joined the PGA Tour over the last few months. 

Brooks Koepka became the first major champion to jump back across after he managed to negotiate an exit from LIV despite still being under contract. 

Koepka, who has refused to disclose the terms of his exit from LIV, was allowed to re-join the PGA Tour via a hastily-enacted returning member programme. 

The offer was also open to LIV stars Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith. 

All three declined. 

Patrick Reed, Hudson Swafford, Pat Perez and Kevin Na have also had their memberships reinstated but are being made to wait before they are eligible for PGA Tour competition. 

Asked if any further conversations had taken place with Rahm and DeChambeau, Rolapp added: "I tend to keep my private conversations with anybody just that, private. 

"But I will say our concentration honestly has been on this. This is what we've been concentrating on is how to make the PGA Tour better.

"I read what you read on LIV. I'm not sure what the future of that is or those players. 

"They're under contract, and until that's no longer the case, I don't think we need to overly worry about it. 

"We're focussed on the PGA Tour."