Pat McAfee has hosted plenty of golf’s biggest names on his show, but few moments have carried the warmth of the video message PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp sent him. On August 25, 2026, McAfee shared a clip on X of Rolapp thanking McAfee for a prior appearance. Then, the CEO went a step further.

“Listen, Pat, I want you to come down to the Players. We’re going to set up something for you. Anytime you want to come, come down to the Players Championship. We’ll take care of you. You can put your set anywhere you want,” Rolapp said.

McAfee threw up a double thumbs-up during Rolapp’s closing remarks, and once he finished, McAfee did not hold back his excitement, calling Rolapp “the absolute best” and turning to his desk to explain to viewers who had just spoken.

“That’s the CEO of the PGA, ladies and gentlemen. Brian Rolapp. I love you, buddy,” McAfee said.

McAfee and his crew kept the moment going after the interview ended, floating the 17th green, the Stadium Course’s famous island hole, as their pick for the show’s future broadcast spot, picturing a floating set anchored right next to the water.

The lighthearted callback landed with McAfee’s crew, who noted on air that the pond reference traced back to an earlier off-air conversation between the two.

This was not Rolapp’s first connection with the show. The PGA Tour CEO appeared live on the program in April, when he addressed LIV Golf’s uncertain future and the possibility of pathways back for players who left the Tour. PGA Tour Studios also teamed up with NFL Films last year for a mic’d-up feature inside THE PLAYERS Championship. The project brought fans inside the ropes with players competing at TPC Sawgrass, and Rolapp helped broker the partnership himself.

Since taking over as PGA Tour CEO, Rolapp has pushed to widen how fans experience the sport. The NFL Films tie-in sits alongside a revamped competitive structure set to debut in 2028, and both point toward the same goal. Inviting McAfee’s show to broadcast live from Sawgrass follows that goal, too. A popular sports program becomes another channel for reaching new audiences, not a departure from how the Tour typically handles media access.

Should McAfee accept, THE PLAYERS Championship gains a broadcast presence built around personality-driven content instead of standard tournament coverage. Rolapp has already shown a willingness to blend entertainment platforms with Tour events. An on-site stop for the show at Sawgrass, whether from the 17th green or another corner of the course, would mark another step in the media strategy he has built since taking the job.