Just last month, in May of 2025, whispers began swirling around Ponte Vedra Beach. The PGA Tour had just finalized a significant restructuring, quietly shortlisting four heavyweight candidates to fill its long-vacant CEO role, including NFL executive Brian Rolapp and NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps. The move immediately raised eyebrows: Why introduce a powerful new leadership position if the current commissioner, Jay Monahan, was staying put? At the time, Tour officials insisted the CEO role was designed to complement, not replace, Monahan’s responsibilities. But behind the scenes, momentum was building toward a changing of the guard.

Now, just weeks later, those rumors have solidified into something far more concrete. Golf.com’s James Colgan broke the news on X: “Some big golf news: Three sources tell me the PGA Tour is expected to ‘sunset’ Jay Monahan as commissioner after a transition period with new CEO Brian Rolapp. Monahan could leave his post as soon as the end of this year, and as late as the end of next, sources said.” The word ‘sunset’ is telling. It suggests a graceful but definitive exit strategy for Monahan, who has served as commissioner since 2017. After steering the Tour through the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, LIV Golf’s rise, and the controversial Saudi PIF negotiations, his time appears to be winding down.

Rolapp, known for negotiating billion-dollar media deals during his 22-year NFL tenure, is widely seen as the business-savvy leader the Tour needs in its next phase. His arrival signals a shift from crisis management to aggressive growth and commercialization, especially under the new for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises umbrella, backed by Strategic Sports Group’s $1.5 billion investment.

As for Monahan, insiders say he could step down as early as December 2025 or as late as the end of 2026. Either way, the transition is already underway—and with it, the PGA Tour is entering a new era where the commissioner role may never hold quite the same power again. Even as talk of his eventual exit grows louder in 2025, it’s Monahan’s massive 2023 payday that sparked quite the debate across the golf world.

Monahan’s $23 million payday that had golf fans talking

Jay Monahan’s hefty paycheck in 2023 has become one of the hottest talking points in the world of golf. According to the PGA Tour’s latest tax filings, the commissioner raked in over $23 million in total compensation—an eye-popping figure that includes nearly $12.1 million in bonuses and incentives, $2.5 million in post-retirement benefits, and an additional $6.7 million in long-term deferred compensation. His base salary alone stood at nearly $1.89 million.

Much of that money is tied to future payouts and could fluctuate based on interest rates, but the headline number still struck a nerve, especially among fans who’ve watched the PGA Tour navigate turbulent waters—from its tense standoff with LIV Golf to the eventual framework deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). It wasn’t just Monahan cashing in. PGA Tour COO Ron Price earned over $13 million himself, while several player-directors like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods also earned tens of millions in 2023 tournament winnings, FedEx Cup bonuses, and off-course earnings.

Critics have pointed to these massive payouts amid ongoing leadership changes, legal battles, and unresolved merger negotiations, questioning whether Monahan’s performance truly justified such a windfall. But supporters argue his role in securing record revenues and major investments speaks for itself. Either way, the numbers are staggering and impossible to ignore.