Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip the $20 million FedEx St. Jude Championship, which is one of the most crucial playoff events, did more than raise eyebrows. It ignited a debate about fairness and the structure of the PGA Tour’s postseason. But according to PGA Tour insider Brian Rolapp, the leadership won’t stay silent on this. He hinted at what the PGA Tour CEO could do next to address the growing controversy.

Kutcher said on the 5 Clubs podcast when host Gary Williams asked about Brian Rolapp’s recent use of the term “scarcity” in relation to the PGA Tour, “I’m not sure what he means by the scarcity, but he wants to… add that level of importance to the playoffs.” Currently, the PGA Tour is very lenient when it comes to player availability for its official events, which McIlroy has clearly taken advantage of, a policy that could change in the future.

“One thing that we could see change is that the top 70 players make that first leg of the playoffs, and then the rankings go out the window. So, you have to finish top 50 that first week to advance. Then you have to finish top 30. So there’s no cushion because every other sport does it that way.” This change would remove the safety net for top players. Currently, high-ranked golfers can skip events and still advance based on season points. With a reset after each leg, missing a playoff event would almost guarantee elimination, forcing full participation and making every round count.

“Sometimes the best team wins, other times they don’t. You might get Rory versus Scottie. Or you might get someone else making that run, a Chris Gotterup who came out of nowhere. It’s just the luck of the draw. That’s how I think you’re going to make the real playoffs and make it so there’s there’s an importance. You can’t have Rory Maroy skip one leg of the playoffs. Otherwise, it doesn’t feel like it’s the playoffs.” Kutcher added.

The world No. 2 and reigning Masters champion took advantage of a loophole in the new playoff format. Mcllrory not only skipped the St jude FedEx Championship but also the BMW Championship. It’s some kind of his own ‘Rory Rule’. Even after skipping the first two playoff events, McIlroy remains eligible for the season-ending event at East Lake. “Very concerned,” said Peter Malnati, a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, about a top player skipping a playoff event. “I think there is stuff in the works, and I’ll leave it at that.” A clear hint that things will not be the same next season. History shows precedent for this approach. Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk have skipped the first playoff event and still went on to win the FedEx Cup Championship. And according to McIlroy, there’s no harm in skipping a major event. 

Rory McIlroy, 18 years into his pro career, knows he’s in a league of his own. On skipping the St. Jude Championship, he said, “I feel like I’m in a little bit of a different position than some of the guys…I just think that extra week off will do me good with the events coming up. Some big events that are important to me.” For Rory, the most valued PGA Tour event FedEx St. Jude, wasn’t his top priority. He wanted to reset and focus on the Irish Open, Wentworth, and the Ryder Cup, while also chasing his seventh Race to Dubai title in Europe. His experience gave him the freedom to make these calls a luxury most players didn’t have, making his schedule moves a story in themselves. But Rolapp is not the one to sit and watch the show; he has already started making some drastic changes in the PGA Tour model. 

Rolapp Takes A step Ahead, Driving Big Changes in Competition

The PGA TOUR is shaking things up to make its events more competitive and exciting with the launch of the Future Competition Committee, chaired by Tiger Woods. CEO Brian Rolapp announced the nine-member panel at East Lake Golf Club, saying, “The goal is not incremental change. The goal is significant change.” The committee will take a clean-sheet approach to rethink the tour, exploring ways for top players to face off more often while keeping fans and partners fully engaged. By getting input from players, fans, and partners, the TOUR is looking to balance tradition with fresh energy.

Rolapp laid out three principles driving the push:, parity, scarcity, and simplicity. Scarcity creates more high-stakes matchups between the best players, and simplicity makes the tour easier and more exciting for fans to follow. “The sports business is not that complicated. You get the product right. You get the right partners. Your fans will reward you,” Rolapp said. With six top players and three strategic advisors on the committee, the TOUR is working to better connect the regular season to the playoffs and make the TOUR Championship an even bigger, must-watch showdown. With big changes already underway, all eyes are now on the PGA Tour. Will it next season force even the biggest stars, like McIlroy, to play by a new set of rules?