PGA Tour told to Open Season with event voted Best of 2025

Follow us on Google Discover

Brian Rolapp has a lot on his plate as the new CEO of the PGA Tour, but one issue stands out above the rest: the schedule needs fixing.

One of the most pressing challenges facing Brian Rolapp as the new CEO of the PGA Tour is reshaping the schedule to make it more compelling for fans and players alike.

With a growing sense that the calendar is overcrowded and elite players cross paths too infrequently, the Tour has begun exploring a more streamlined season — potentially starting after the Super Bowl in February. As that discussion gathers momentum, golf analyst Ryan Lavner has put forward a clear recommendation for how the season should begin.

Lavner argues that if the PGA Tour wants its opening event to feel significant, it should move away from tradition and instead start the year with one of its most popular tournaments.

Ryan Lavner proposes the WM Phoenix Open as the PGA Tour season opener

In recent years, the PGA Tour has opened with two tournaments in Hawaii: The Sentry at Kapalua followed by the Sony Open. While The Sentry often boasts a strong field, Lavner believes neither event delivers the sense of occasion expected from a season launch.

Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Lavner suggested that the WM Phoenix Open would provide a far more impactful starting point. He pointed to the atmosphere at TPC Scottsdale, where massive crowds and sustained energy throughout the week make the event feel unlike a standard Tour stop.

Lavner also highlighted the course itself, calling TPC Scottsdale an underrated venue with a dramatic closing stretch. While acknowledging the appeal of the Plantation Course at Kapalua and conceding it would be missed, he argued that no other regular-season event creates a bigger spectacle. In his view, if the Tour wants the opener to feel special, it should begin with its largest and most vibrant tournament.

Phoenix Open’s recent recognition strengthens the case

Further supporting Lavner’s stance, the PGA Tour recently named the WM Phoenix Open its 2025 “Event of the Year” as part of its annual “Best Of” awards. The honor had gone to the BMW Championship the previous season, but the Phoenix Open had claimed the award in each of the four years before that.

The recognition reflects the tournament’s strength across multiple areas, including fan engagement, player experience and charitable impact. Taken together, those factors reinforce Lavner’s belief that the event already embodies what the Tour wants its opening week to represent.

As Rolapp weighs changes to the schedule, the Phoenix Open’s popularity and recent accolades make it an increasingly difficult option to overlook as a potential new starting point for the PGA Tour season.