BRIAN ROLAPP: Good morning. It's great to be back in Atlanta for the TOUR Championship. I would like to thank our host, East Lake Golf Club, as well as our proud partners Accenture, Coca-Cola and Southern Company for everything they do to make this week special.
This week marks the culmination of a remarkable season for the PGA TOUR. On the course we have seen extraordinary performances, breakthrough victories and compelling storylines that once again demonstrate the PGA TOUR is home to the strongest competition in professional golf.
26 of 36 events this season were decided by two strokes or fewer, showcasing the competitive parity and the meritocracy that are among the core pillars of our strength. Fans have been responding positively to this quality of the TOUR's competition. On television, this year was the most-watched regular season on the PGA TOUR since 2018, with ratings up 19 percent year over year, and 40 percent higher than 2024.
On-site attendance at PGA TOUR events was up 8 percent versus last year, marking our highest attendance in recent history, with at least seven events, including the THE PLAYERS Championship, hosting record attendance.
All of this is a testament to the strength of the TOUR, and while stars like Scottie, Rory and others continue to set the standard, we have every reason to believe that we are going to continue to get stronger. Just a few weeks ago during one of the most pressure-packed stretches of our season, PGA TOUR University alumni Jackson Koivun, Michael Thorbjornsen and Michael Brennan, all 24 or younger, won three consecutive weeks on TOUR, reinforcing the strength of our pathways and the incredible talent that is emerging.
There is no question our future is bright. But my comments this morning will focus on that future as we look forward. Today I would like to cover three things: one, our work in philanthropy; two, the progress of the Future Competition Committee; and three, the evolution of our season-ending structure and the TOUR Championship.
Before I do, and he won't like this, but I want to take a moment to recognize Jay Monahan. As many of you know, this season will mark the conclusion of Jay's tenure as commissioner, and this may be one of the last times that I have a chance to comment on his contributions to the PGA TOUR in such a public forum.
Over the past decade, Jay has guided the organization through extraordinary growth, change and challenges. During some of the most consequential moments in our sport's history, he never lost sight of what mattered most -- strengthening the TOUR and positioning it for its future.
I want to thank Jay for his partnership, his leadership, and his commitment to ensuring a successful transition for me personally. I said it at THE PLAYERS Championship, but it bears repeating: History will acknowledge what everyone in professional golf already knows, that Jay Monahan is a winner.
So thank you, Jay.
As announced yesterday, we are beginning a new and exciting chapter of the PGA TOUR's philanthropic mission, building on a foundation that has generated more than $4.4 billion for charities and communities around the world, a legacy that is a source of deep pride for everyone associated with the TOUR.
Few people have done more to shape that legacy than Tim and Holly Finchem, and yesterday's announcement of the $13 million gift to PGA TOUR Charities will help fuel the work ahead.
Holly, on behalf of the entire PGA TOUR family, we are grateful to you and Tim for your generosity, leadership and belief in the organization. Thank you.
We also announced additional milestones in our charitable work. As you know, Brooks Koepka committed $5 million toward charitable causes as part of his return to the PGA TOUR. The remaining $2.5 million of that commitment will be directed to charitable beneficiaries selected by 99 eligible PGA TOUR members.
This morning, we announced a partnership with the LeBron James Foundation, built on a shared belief that sports can create opportunity, change lives and bring people together.
Through the LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational at Firestone Country Club, we will make a meaningful impact in Akron, Ohio, LeBron's hometown and a community with deep connections to the TOUR, while supporting the next generation of aspiring underrepresented players through our Pathway to Progression program.
These initiatives reflect where we are headed, honoring the people and partnerships that have built this mission while creating new ways for players, partners, fans and communities to engage with it.
The past year has been focused on re-imagining our competitive and commercial model for the benefit of our fans, players and partners. Much like we have done with our competitive model through the Future Competition Committee, we will now evolve our approach to philanthropy with a similar level of focus, innovation and resources.
This week we have announced new important work around our philanthropic mission. Alongside PAC chairman Lucas Glover, a select group of players, outside experts and PGA TOUR staff led by Laura Neal will conduct a comprehensive process with our members, partners, tournaments and fans as we build a more connected, visible and impactful philanthropic platform for the future.
We are doing this for one simple reason: Do philanthropy better and with more impact.
As we do that work, we will focus on areas where the PGA TOUR is uniquely positioned to create impact: a legacy of volunteerism; tangible, lasting change in our communities; inspiring the next generation through First Tee; and bringing players, partners and fans together around causes that matter.
I think it is fitting to discuss our reenergized approach here at East Lake, where the East Lake Foundation and the broader East Lake community stand as powerful examples of how golf can be a catalyst for transformation well beyond the course.
We look forward to sharing more about our charitable work in the months ahead, including an update at THE PLAYERS Championship next season.
Now the FCC. The June board vote established the foundation for our future competitive model. Since then, our focus has shifted from evaluation and design to implementation. We have made significant progress in building the 2028 PGA TOUR Championship Series schedule and are ahead of plan with a steady stream of announcements you have seen over the last few weeks.
To date, we have announced seven of the 15 regular season events on the 2028 PGA TOUR Championship Series. An additional four have been identified, and we will be announcing those in the coming weeks, bringing us to 11. Of the remaining four regular season events, we are currently in active discussions with 14 prospective partners. Given that level of demand and interest, we expect to be making final decisions soon.
We plan to announce the full 2028 PGA TOUR Championship Series schedule on February 22nd at a new televised event hosted at our headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach. While our focus over the last two months has been on establishing the PGA TOUR Championship Series, where the pace of agreements has moved quite rapidly, we are now turning our attention to the next phase of the model, the PGA TOUR Challenger Series.
The confirmation process for the 2028 PGA TOUR Challenger Series will begin shortly, and we expect to announce a significant portion of the schedule by next year's PLAYERS Championship, with the full schedule finalized by the 2027 TOUR Championship.
This timeline is well ahead of the TOUR's traditional schedule announcement cadence and is intended to provide our members and partners with greater clarity as they prepare for the 2028 season, while giving fans the opportunity to plan ahead, attend events and follow the world's best players.
Together, these two series form the backbone of the new competitive model, but there is still important work ahead this fall, particularly in areas such as eligibility in our Pathway system.
I want to thank the members of the Future Competition Committee along with members serving on the PAC and our subcommittees. The progress we have made since June is a direct reflection of the time and energy they have devoted to this effort.
I look forward to meeting with the media following our board meetings on September 14 and November 16 to provide updates to be finalized with the remaining details.
Lastly, I want to touch on the future of the TOUR Championship and our season-ending structure on the PGA TOUR Championship Series.
Starting in 2028, the top 90 players on the season-long points list advance to the PGA TOUR Championship Series finale, the last stroke-play event to finalize the points list and recognize a season-long winner, essentially identifying the best player in the world.
In addition, players will be battling to secure one of the 32 spots in the TOUR Championship based on the final season-long standings.
This sets the stage for a re-imagined TOUR Championship, a separate, stand-alone competition that will emerge as one of the most difficult tournaments to qualify for and win, testing the world's best golfers in a different way, in a unique competitive format. It's match play over two weeks, an opportunity to make this an extended moment that commands the attention of golf and sports fans.
Week 1 of the TOUR Championship is the group stage, eight groups of four. The top two advance from each group, 16 players move on.
Week 2 is four rounds of match play, all 16 players competing all four rounds. Every match impacts the final standings. The player who goes undefeated will be crowned the winner of the TOUR Championship.
Each week of the TOUR Championship will be played at a different course. This new format creates an exciting opportunity to showcase some of the most renowned venues in our sport, including places the modern TOUR has never been before.
Since our announcement in June, we have received a tremendous level of interest from prospective host venues. As a result, multiple discussions are under way, site visits have begun, and we are encouraged by the enthusiasm we are seeing for the future of the TOUR Championship.
We look forward to sharing more details, including the venues that will host the 2028 TOUR Championship on February 22.
In closing, a year ago we set out to shape a PGA TOUR to better serve our fans, players and partners. We have made meaningful progress, but there's significant work ahead. While that work continues, we are excited to give you a first look at what 2028 holds for the TOUR Championship.
[Video shown.]
With that, I'm happy to take your questions.
Q. Brian, you mentioned 14 potential sponsors were interested in those remaining four Championship Series events. What about the Challenger level? What's the interest level from sponsors like there? Then I would also ask, how are you guys handling long-term sponsors that are signed beyond '28 that will not be on the Championship Series?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Your question on the Challenger Series, we've sequenced this from an implementation standpoint, Championship Series first and then Challenger Series, which we're turning our attention to that.
Having said that, we've had unsolicited inbound interest in the Challenger Series. But I think from a tactical standpoint, it's important for us to secure the Championship Series and then move on, which we're doing now.
I think based on the initial interest we've seen, I think we're optimistic. I think we've seen quite a bit of demand for the Challenger Series, not only from existing sponsors but also new sponsors who have not been associated with the PGA TOUR.
As to your second question, I think I'll keep our conversations quiet, but I do believe with our new model, from a commercial standpoint, from a sponsor standpoint, we have a price point and we have an opportunity for sponsors at all levels at what makes sense for their own marketing goals and sponsorship goals. I think that was one of the reasons behind the model, and we feel pretty good about how the market is reacting.
Q. Given the emphasis on player accountability with the new PGA TOUR Charities program, would you envision sustainable commitments from the players wishing to return from LIV so it doesn't appear like it's a fine or a penalty but more of reconnecting with the communities that have supported them over the years?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Well, I think the efforts to involve our players, our members in the philanthropic efforts is an important one. They do quite a bit on their own, through their own foundations. It's pretty impressive. I think the opportunity as Brooks came back and his $5 million donation, as we see that put to work, it was a really good example of players putting forth causes that are important to them.
I think the whole idea of our charitable efforts is not only to increase the scale and the impact but also to have our members have more of a voice. They are clearly outstanding people, and they have their own interests, and they have their own ability to make impacts. And I think that's an important part of the model going forward, which is why I think Lucas is going to be a great leader of this effort.
Q. Do you believe Good Good took enough accountability after this whole Callaway debacle?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think initially no. I think what we saw was concerning, is clearly not aligned with PGA TOUR values. We take it very seriously. I think their initial response was disappointing. It was a bit defensive and late.
But I think the responses are getting better. I think we've seen some things this morning, we've had some conversations with them, so we'll continue to monitor and work with them going forward. But no, we were disappointed with what we saw.
Q. Do you anticipate there being a corporate sponsor to the points list in '28?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think it's possible. I don't think we've gotten that far, but I think as we look at our commercial model and our sponsorship opportunities, I think there is a demand, an interest for more national sponsorship outside of just the tournament model. We're seeing that already. As to how we will deal with the season list, we're not certain yet, but I think there's interest in that.
Q. As you're doing site visits, and I appreciate you're probably not going to name names, what exactly are you looking for? What's your objective in finding -- what's important for the courses you choose?
BRIAN ROLAPP: That's a good question. I think it was a really important part of the FCC process. As the player directors and the players on the committee really leaned into the designing of the playoffs, it was really great to watch because I think everybody knew if the competition itself and if the venue wasn't meaningful to our players, it wasn't going to be meaningful to anybody -- fans, broadcast partners, sponsors, anyone.
I think it was important to them, and I think to everybody, that we're able to go to places that you don't see very often at the PGA TOUR.
So I think it has to be a challenging championship course. I think it has to be a place that America doesn't get to see very often. I think that'll be important. I think it has to be a site that excites our players and our fans.
So I think that's worthy of what I think is going to be a really unique and grueling competition that we haven't seen in golf before.
Q. Do you envision the city of Atlanta being part of the rotation for the TOUR Championship after 2028? You mentioned philanthropy. Would the PGA TOUR consider maintaining some sort of philanthropic commitment to Atlanta if the tournament does move?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Two things there. Yes, East Lake is very much in the consideration set for future TOUR Championship events for sure. We've had conversations with them. We'll have more meetings this week.
I think on your second point, on philanthropy, the object is to do this better and more impactful. That does not mean going backwards. We are not going backwards.
I would say this bluntly about the East Lake Foundation. Wherever the competitive format in the Championship Series ends up, we are going to continue our support of East Lake Foundation. So I think -- I'm hoping that with our new model, we are able to do it better and more impactful.
Q. You mentioned ratings are up this year. What do you attribute that rise in ratings to, and how do you plan to go forward and cut through the noise that every sports fan faces now all across the entertainment spectrum?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, there are a lot of choices for a fan to spend their time, whether it's sports or anything else, and media continues to be more fragmented and a complicated area.
I think that was really the impetus -- one of the main impetuses behind the FCC is I think it's on us to continuously improve the quality of the competition and the product that we put out for our fans, to demonstrate the best in professional golf. So that's what the work is about.
As for this year, I think two things. I think some of the things I mentioned before, the performance of stars we know, the emergence of new stars, the tightness of the competition, the competitive parity is off the charts. Not only the best golfers in the world, but they're within a stroke or two every week. I think that is, by definition, a really attractive competition.
I also think it's the continual evolution of, in a fragmented media landscape, sports cuts through, stories cut through. We're trying to do better on that. So we're happy with the growth, and our partners have been a big part of that. Our broadcast partners do a wonderful job producing it and promoting it. So we're going to continue to improve on that. But I think all those things are why the viewership continues to rise.
Q. You mentioned seven announced Championship Series events, four identified, four more -- 14 that have interest in those last four. How do you determine those four? Is it, in essence, a bidding war, or are there other factors?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Well, it's a high-class problem. We're glad we have it. But I think it's not just financial, although that's a factor, of course. It's the quality of the golf course. It's the quality of the sponsor, what they can do for not only the tournament but the PGA TOUR and how they continue to promote the sport and the TOUR.
I think it's the community; can they support a tournament. It's the charitable aspect of it; do we have that lined up right. So I think it's a portfolio of things.
But I think more to the point, it's a testament to the strength of the PGA TOUR, and I think it's a validation of where we're going. Ultimately, the Future Competition Committee was a group of people trying to do their best, trying to serve partners and members and fans, and I think some of the validation we've seen, at least in the commercial marketplace and elsewhere, has been good to see. So we're going to keep plugging along.
Q. You mentioned, of course, the PGA TOUR University, players who have had success this year. Where will future university graduates be landing, on the Championship Series or Challenger?
BRIAN ROLAPP: It's a great question. We haven't determined that. We're working through that. I think all eligibility matters when it comes to both tracks. We're working hard on it as we speak, and we'll have it sorted most likely by the September board meeting, September 15.
PGA TOUR U will be a very important part of that. It's been a successful program. You see the performance of some of these young members out there who do amazing things. We want to do more of that, not less. How many cards and where they go I think is still being determined. But I can say, much like all of our pathways, we'll continue to invest in PGA TOUR U.
Q. For the new post-season, what kind of onsite fan experience are you expecting? Off the course, what are the viewership expectations compared to the current format?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, I think onsite, it really depends where we go. I think there's an acknowledgment and understanding on some of these sites that you don't see very often at a PGA TOUR event, the footprint might be smaller. When you host a PGA TOUR event, certainly a Championship Series event, the attendance is big. The footprint is significant. The build-out is significant.
Having partners who are willing to do that is very important. That can be a great thing. It can also be limiting.
I think we wanted to take that out of the equation so we could reach the best courses in the country, so I think we're open to a smaller footprint. I think that'll probably be part of some of our events at certain courses. That doesn't mean exclusively, but we'll be flexible.
I think, also, we haven't sat down with our broadcast partners, but I imagine as we do that, the way they produce it will be different. And I think it will be something like you've never seen before, or at least you don't see very often.
What the viewership numbers are, I don't have a prediction for you. But I don't think we'd be doing this if we didn't think this was going to be more compelling for fans, which should be for compelling for our broadcast partners and others. So our hope is to increase viewership.
Q. You said earlier this year that the Returning Member Program is not precedent-setting Curious, in the next couple months, is there a plan in place to reheat that program if certain circumstances arise?
BRIAN ROLAPP: No, currently there's no current plans for Returning Member Program like you saw earlier this year.
Q. Brian, do you have assurances from your current television partners that they're going to go along with a brand-new schedule being created while they have a deal currently running through '31?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, I mentioned this before when we started the FCC process a little bit less than a year ago, the very first -- after forming the committee, the very first meetings we had were with our broadcast partners who feel passionately about the game, feel passionately about the TOUR, and had a lot of great insight and thoughts. And it was great for our players to hear that because I'm not sure they really had that opportunity before.
I think a lot of what you see here, a fair amount of those things were spoken about and came from those meetings.
We continue to have conversations with our broadcasters along the way. I think we've kept them up to date, and we'll sit down with them at some point, but they've been cooperative and have been really great partners in this regard.
Q. Have you begun or are you planning to sit down to renegotiate?
BRIAN ROLAPP: No, we've not begun that. We have no immediate plans. We'll do that when the time is right for us and for our partners.
Q. On LIV players returning, what is your personal opinion on them coming back, just as a leader, as someone with a conception of the sports entertainment space and the need for stars to come back and play on the PGA TOUR? And how does that compare to what you're hearing from players and stakeholders in the TOUR?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Well, you asked about my personal feelings, and that's one thing. But in this job, you have to take into account everybody's feelings and all stakeholders.
I think what I would say on that is I think fans are clear where they want to see the best golfers competing week in and week out. Our competitive model that we've been working on is an attempt to get closer to that standard.
I would also say three things when it comes to LIV players or anyone else who wants to be on the PGA TOUR. One, the PGA TOUR is built on meritocracy. Every player, whether they're already here or they're trying to be here, they're going to earn a place based on their performance and on their success. That's a core principle of the sport, and it certainly is of the PGA TOUR.
Two, the TOUR is a membership organization. It has rules. Those rules exist for lots of reasons, for fair, competitive reasons. They exist so we can actually create the TOUR as you know it. Rules matter.
Three, rules only matter if they're enforced. So accountability and discipline are essential to any organization, and certainly for the integrity of the TOUR and for the game, especially in a game that prides itself on rules and integrity.
Those are guiding principles for us. Rules matter. Again, I've been very public that I want to do what's best for the PGA TOUR, and that's still my guiding principle. Whatever happens, those will be the guiding principles.
Q. Just to follow up on the Good Good situation, do you anticipate that video and their response having any effect on their participation in the event in Austin later on this year?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think I mentioned before, it's a bit of a fluid situation. We were disappointed at first. It sounds like in the last 24 hours they've made some progress. We'll continue to monitor the situation and see how it develops.
Q. You said the Returning Member Program is not being resurrected. Do you see any pathways where players who competed on LIV this season would compete on the PGA TOUR next year or a pathway where they would compete in your Championship Series when it begins in '28?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think to this point, we haven't made any decisions. I've said it consistently; I only know what I read. I don't know the future of LIV. It sounds like they're working really hard to come up with the next iteration of it.
We've been consistent. Anyone who's interested in coming to the PGA TOUR needs to demonstrate that they are relieved of their contractual commitments or any tail obligations they might have in that legacy model. Brooks certainly did that, and until then, we weren't really able to consider anything seriously. I would say the same thing here.
I think it's unclear what we're reacting to, but any player who is here needs to demonstrate that they're completely free of any tail obligation for some time.
Q. It looks like Rory McIlroy is going to come up one event short to have the 15 minimum to be exempt for next year. He said he's had conversations with you. Where are you in that process for Rory to maintain that membership? Broadly, are you and the TOUR considering reevaluating that minimum 15 moving forward?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, I think I've had conversations with Rory. Rory's dedication to the PGA TOUR is clear to me. I think he feels passionately, is certainly dedicated to it.
He also feels a dedication to the DP World Tour as well given his legacy and where he's from. We certainly have a strategic alliance with the DP World Tour which we are actively working to improve and change and extend. We continue to have those conversations.
I think in my position, I have a fair amount of discretion on this matter in the bylaws. I think having Rory participating in Memphis was great, and he continues to be here at the TOUR Championship.
I think the rule itself, which was your question, I think we are questioning looking at it. It's a rule that applies just to dual members. It's questionable if it even has a place in our new competitive model.
I think it's one of many rules and regulations we will look at as we change the competitive model.
Q. On the first week of the TOUR Championship, it's apparent there won't be a trophy, but will there be prize money that week?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think we're going to determine that. I think the one thing which I think will probably be determined closer to our November board meeting is the compensation model for the new model and for the new TOUR Championship. We've announced the purse sizes for both the championship and the challenger. What we now know is the FedEx bonus money. I think there's an open question how we will allocate that in a new competitive model, but we haven't made any decisions yet. That's work left to do.
Q. On sponsors, we saw with Raymond James coming in, they're a title, but it's kind of in a presenting model. I know you're a history guy. Is that maybe a preview of what we could see down the road in terms of maybe having more of a location-based title with a presenting sponsor?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, I think it is. I think one thing we've talked a lot about, I don't need to tell this room, golf is a sport rich in tradition and history, tradition and history that I think most sports would love to have.
I think as part of our new model, we would like to expose that more and lean into that more and celebrate the tradition of not only the TOUR but the game, connect more of the new fans to the tradition of the game.
I think one way to do that is to talk more about these tournaments and the history of it. So you use Greensboro as an example, I think it's 1934 - I could get that wrong, but it's somewhere around there that that tournament has been contested - and sometimes we lose connection with the history, and it's a rich history. We want to do more of that across our TOUR events.
If you look at our TOUR events, there's a lot of history there. If you look at markets that we left that maybe we go back to, there's a rich history there.
I think it's our goal to do that at large across everything that we do, and I think the naming convention of a tournament is one of the ways we would like to do that.
Q. The bonus structure that's in place now, which is pretty lucrative under FedEx, would you expect it to remain as lucrative? Could it possibly be diminished? How is that impacted by who might be in charge of that, if it's not FedEx?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, again, I think those are all details and important ones to be worked out. I think you saw when we announced the purse sizes, I think we feel very good about the economic model of the TOUR.
I think the reaction we've had from sponsors on the Championship Series and some on the Challenger Series that gives us confidence that the economic foundation will be strong going forward. So I think the compensation will continue to be lucrative for those members lucky enough to be PGA TOUR members.
But we continue to work on the details, including the future of sponsorship and other things.
Q. If you've got 14 potential sponsors for four, why is only four more the right number? Is there any chance you go back to the players and say, hey, guys, do you want to play for three other $20 million events?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Well, this was talked a lot about in the FCC. We want to make sure we get the competition right. We theoretically could do a tournament every weekend in the summer. But the reality is to have the level of competition we want, not every professional golfer is going to play every week. That's a lot to do, especially as we've condensed the schedule.
So for us it's about working backwards from what is the best schedule and the best competitive format for fans that stokes interest, that creates more storylines. That's our north star; how do you make it the best fan experience possible and display this great competition.
While we may not have landed perfectly on the number of events, I think it's in the ballpark. I don't think we're just interested in adding events here and there for money. I think for us, it's just let's make sure the competition is the best competition you can possibly engineer, and then as I've always said, if you get that right, the money will come.
Q. You mentioned the time frame for Championship and Challenger, but what about the fall International Series? What are you going to announce some of that?
BRIAN ROLAPP: We're working on that. I think we hope to have that as part of our February 22 announcement at least, but I think we're still working on that. Again, I think we're still focused on if we can call it an off-season outside when we finish the TOUR Championship into focusing more international, focusing on more meaningful events. I think it's part of our conversation with the DP World Tour which are ongoing, and we're excited about some of our discussions and our plans, but we're not ready to talk about that yet.
Q. Ballpark on how many there will be?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think we talked about six to eight, but again, I think everything is fluid.
Q. Can you offer any specifics in terms of how the TOUR will spend the investment capital you still have?
BRIAN ROLAPP: That's everyone's favorite question. Yes, we have some ideas, not ready to reveal it. What I've said before, it's important to get the competitive model right because once you get the competitive model right, you have a good idea of where you're playing, what those tournaments will be, what are we going to own or not own, and then I think we can put the capital to work in service of that ambition.
We're also having conversations, as I mentioned, with the DP World Tour and other places. I think now that the competitive model is in place, I think the capital will work in service of that competitive model and grow commercial.
So we have some ideas. It's ongoing. I know I always say that, but you'll hear about some things in the not-too-distant future.
Q. If some tournaments go to Challenger status from where they are now, that could have an impact on the charitable dollars those tournaments raise. Do you have any plans to backstop that?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think what I've said is it's important we are not going backwards on our financial commitment. We're trying to increase the impact. I used the example of East Lake, and I mean it. Whether we have a tournament here or not, we're going to support that foundation.
We had similar conversations with St. Jude in Memphis. We had really good meetings about, as we evaluate that market where that might be, are there better ways to do what we're doing, not only for the PGA TOUR philanthropic model but also for the charities themselves.
I think those are all part of the conversations. But I'm hoping people understand from our announcements from the work we're doing going forward with this committee led by Lucas and others that with the same zeal that we've approached the competitive and the commercial model, we're doing the same thing with the philanthropic model. I can say it all I want, and until I actually do things, I understand people won't believe it, but that's what our focus is.
Q. I think you would agree that any key component to a successful tournament is the volunteer force, and there is concern if you keep rotating every five years, for example, if it comes back to East Lake, you have to retrain the volunteers. When you look at the future of the TOUR Championship, is your goal to have the same venues host it every two years, three years, five years so there's a little bit of consistency, or is it a one-off and then maybe eight, ten years down the road they get it back?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, I don't think we know yet. We're still early in this, but the logistical issues that you point out are real and will be taken into account.
I think as we get closer to designing that -- again, we're very early in this, and the interest I mentioned was really more inbound. We haven't actually gone out and systematically approach this yet because we've been focused on the Championship Series. But I think all those things will be taken into account.
Q. From '28 going forward you may not have an answer, but what do you see as the future of not only Korn Ferry TOUR but Americas?
BRIAN ROLAPP: Yeah, again, work that we hope to have completed by November, the pathways at large. I've said it before and I'll say it again, pathways will still be an important part of what we do. I mentioned PGA TOUR U and the results we're having, which is tremendous, but also the Korn Ferry TOUR.
I went and met with a lot of the members of the Korn Ferry TOUR in Omaha not too long ago. We're focused on those pathways. Same with Americas. What they look like exactly, we're still figuring out, but they will continue to be an important part of the TOUR. The details we're hoping to have sorted by November.
Q. There are two national opens in the middle of the current TOUR schedule with the Scottish and the Canadian. How do you try to handle those going forward with the Championship Series? Would that be closed events or would they be something else as part of a national open series now that you have Australia and some of the Asian Tour things?
BRIAN ROLAPP: I think we're very much in the middle of figuring that out. I think you'll see us playing more internationally as I mentioned before, really focused on the off-season but also the Scottish Open and that week before The Open is an important week for us. It's an important part of the Championship Series schedule. So we're in the middle of figuring that out. Nothing to announce, but that's very much on our mind.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports