LIV CEO reveals meeting with new PGA Tour CEO: ‘Opportunity to get together’

While the feud between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has divided the professional golf world for years, there are one or two major changes as negotiations move into 2026. There’s a new Sheriff in town, and both sides are feuding.

New LIV CEO Scott O’Neil and new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp have taken charge of their respective tours this year, providing a new perspective on a long-running dispute dating back to 2022.

Could new ownership offer a new way to end professional golf’s wars? O’Neal hinted at as much during a recent media event, acknowledging that the two new CEOs had discussions and came to a “common vision” about bringing the golf world back together.

Here’s what you need to know.

Who are Scott O’Neal and Brian Rolup?

From the beginning, LIV Golf has been helmed by Greg Norman, a key figure in the founding of the company. But Norman also proved to be the most controversial figure in the feud.

His frequent vitriol toward the PGA Tour, and those on the PGA Tour returning the favor, only exacerbated the divide between the two parties.

In November, news broke that Norman would be expelled from LIV. O’Neal, a long-time American sports executive, took over as CEO in January.

After taking over the position, O’Neal told GOLF that he and LIV Golf “have a wonderful mission to grow the game of golf. To bring the best players to the four corners of the earth.”

In its early years, Norman led LIV while longtime PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan led the PGA Tour. Although Monaghan has been more civil than Norman in his public comments, he has instituted a zero-tolerance strategy to combat the rise of LIV Golf, banning players from the upstart tour and encouraging PGA Tour players to speak out against it.

In August, Monahan was replaced by Rollup, the NFL’s former chief media and operations executive.

Rolup made some promising claims about the future of golf.

“We’re going to respect tradition, but we’re not going to be overly bound by it,” Rolap said. “The goal is not incremental change. The goal is significant change.”

LIV CEO Scott O’Neil admits talks with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp

This week, O’Neal participated in Sportico’s Sports Investing Conference alongside figures such as former MLB great Alex Rodriguez and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

During his appearance, O’Neal was asked about the progress of negotiations with the PGA Tour, and O’Neal made a major revelation: He and Rolap have discussed the future of professional golf.

“The two of us have talked a few times,” O’Neal admitted.

This news alone was enough to change the way the tour’s former head of the business conducted himself. But what O’Neill said the two CEOs talked about raises more hopes for many who want to see golf’s best come together again.

“Overall, we share a common vision of what the future of golf could or should be over the next few years,” O’Neill said of his and Rohlapp’s shared vision. “There’s an opportunity for the entire golf community to come together and make the pie bigger.”

But there were other signs this week that hopes for a long hiatus or merger in the professional game have been dashed.

LIV Golf has announced that it will change the tournament from 54 holes to 72 holes to gain recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking. This is a major change with an eye on the future.

On the other hand, the PGA Tour announced that they will not allow any PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour champion players to participate in the LIV Promotions event scheduled to be held in Florida in early January.

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