Report: PGA Tour cuts 4% of workforce amid for-profit transition

The PGA Tour has laid off 56 full-time employees as part of a broader organisational “right-sizing” effort tied to its transition into a for-profit entity, according to Sports Business Journal.

The cuts represent approximately 4% of the PGA Tour’s global workforce, which totals more than 1,300 employees. 

While it remains unclear whether any specific departments were disproportionately affected, sources of Sports Business Journal indicate the layoffs were implemented across the organisation.

In addition to the job losses, SBJ's Josh Carpenter has confirmed the PGA Tour has opted not to fill 73 previously advertised roles. 

Affected employees were informed of the decision on Thursday morning, with CEO Brian Rolapp addressing staff in an internal memo, describing the move as a “difficult — but important — step” in the Tour’s ongoing evolution.

Despite the reductions, the PGA Tour is planning to reinvest in its workforce. 

More than 30 new full-time positions — including several senior roles — are expected to be created in the coming weeks as part of a strategic realignment.

Sources familiar with the matter say the PGA Tour remains financially stable, having reportedly turned a profit in 2025 and maintaining confidence in its long-term outlook.

The restructuring follows a comprehensive operational review conducted by FTI Consulting, which was brought in late last year to audit the organisation and assess its reporting structures. 

The layoffs were made based on recommendations from that process.

The PGA Tour transitioned its commercial business into a for-profit entity named PGA TOUR Enterprises, established in 2024 following a major investment partnership with Strategic Sports Group (SSG). 

The move allowed the Tour to attract private equity, reward players with ownership equity, and compete in a new, modernized commercial landscape.

Rolapp is expected to further address staff during a company-wide meeting scheduled for Monday 11 May, where he will outline the rationale behind the changes.

The latest developments come after the Tour introduced a voluntary retirement programme in late 2025, which saw 30 employees depart the organisation.

The announcement also arrives during what appears a turbulent period in professional golf, with recent reports suggesting Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) could be about to withdraw financial backing from the LIV Golf League after the current season.

The PGA Tour confirmed the layoffs to SBJ, but declined to comment further.

GolfMagic would like to wish everyone involved the best for their futures.