Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we wonder if there will ever be another U.S. Open playoff or if Tiger and Rocco at Torrey will just play on an infinite loop.
Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
History will look back fondly at the 2025 U.S. Open, with its weather-delayed final day and a 1-under unheralded winner in J.J. Spaun.
Bob Harig: FACT In the end, you can’t deny what a great final two holes J.J. Spaun played. Driving the 17th green to set up a two-putt birdie. Driving into the fairway at the tough 18th and hitting the green from more than 200 yards. And then making the putt. Classic stuff.
John Pluym: FACT. Sometimes, it’s better for sports if the same teams or individuals don’t always win. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are the two best players in the world, but they didn’t look like it over a few days. It’s also great for golf fans to watch the best of the best struggle against one of the most challenging golf courses in the world. And Spaun’s 64-foot putt on Sunday to win the tournament and his reaction was priceless. That’s why we all love sports. It’s why we’ll all look forward to when Oakmont hosts the Open again in 2033.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. History is good at distilling events down to key moments. Sunday was a slog, but it was also intense and unpredictable. Spain canning the final putt locked in an incredible highlight anytime we remember that Open.
John Schwarb: FACT. That final incredible putt elevates this U.S. Open. If Spaun two-putts for the win and never wins another major, then down the road the 2025 Open would just be seen as a strange one with the halting Sunday and a one-off champion. But the 64-foot putt is an all-timer.
With the win, Spaun all but clinched a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. After Europeans were strong in the early part of the PGA Tour season, the U.S. team is looking better now for Bethpage.
Bob Harig: FICTION. Some of the strongest U.S. players are not exactly shining. Xander Schauffele has not been himself all year. Patrick Cantlay, who has been a strong partner for Schauffele, has been missing in action. The highest points earner at the last Ryder Cup, Max Homa, is not even on the radar. Collin Morikawa has had his struggles. Long way to go but I’d not be feeling too confident if I were Keegan Bradley.
John Pluym: NEUTRAL. There’s still a long way to go. I’m not ready to crown the U.S. team just yet.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Spaun makes the U.S. team better, but as we look at the U.S. and Euro teams on paper today, Bob is right: the U.S. squad is looking thinner than expected.
John Schwarb: FACT. We’ll take positive signs anywhere we can get it, and in the last month that has included two potentially strong first-timers in Spaun and Ben Griffin. Some new blood is dearly needed.
The Tour officially named Brian Rolapp as new CEO and he said in his first meeting with media that he has much to learn about the ongoing talks with LIV Golf. His first priority should be getting the deal done.
Bob Harig: FICTION. His first priority needs to be figuring out how to invest all the money SSG gave the Tour and growing the business and making it better for fans. Part of that needs to be bringing the game back together, however that is accomplished.
John Pluym: FICTION. His first priority should be figuring out how to make the game more entertaining visually. It was interesting listening to Jack Nicklaus at the Memorial criticize walk-and-talk interviews during tournament play. But, honestly, those interviews were one of the most interesting aspects of that event and the U.S. Open at Oakmont. I would do more of them. Another thing I would like to see is GoPros attached to the lids of players during tournaments. Imagine the view from Spaun’s hat on his 64-foot putt. Now that would be cool!
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. I’m with Bob again here: Rolapp’s top priority should be addressing fan experience and especially the TV product, which has essentially remained unchanged for 20 years. He has money to put to work, so here’s hoping we see more creativity there.
John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. A full-fledged “deal” may be slipping away but Rolapp has to continue to work with the PIF to find a middle ground to get LIV Golf stars back in PGA Tour events. The Tour can survive without Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, but it can’t fully thrive. Rolapp should know, coming from a league where stars make the show.
With Rolapp’s hiring, Jay Monahan will leave the PGA Tour at the end of 2026. His tenure as commissioner should be considered successful.
Bob Harig: FACT. Monahan gets too much blame for all that has occurred. The governance of the Tour is a complicated system that is not about one man. The things that didn’t occur or should have occurred were due to collaboration and long-standing rules. Did he handle the LIV situation properly? He made mistakes, but was he to just let players walk out the door with no consideration for Tour rules? Don’t forget how he navigated the Tour through COVID-19 and got the Tour up and running before nearly every other sport. His legacy will be mixed but he didn’t have a healthy Tiger Woods for the majority of his tenure and he navigated some extremely difficult times.
John Pluym: FACT. Monahan has faced several challenges as the commissioner. While he secured larger purses and navigated the PGA Tour through the COVID-19 pandemic, his handling of LIV Golf will undoubtedly leave a negative impression on his legacy. But, he has done enough to keep the Tour thriving, including rewarding the players based on their popularity.
Jeff Ritter: NEUTRAL. Monahan was in charge as the sport continued to grow even as Tiger Woods faded from competition, and that’s a feather in his cap. But final acts are often what we most remember (see the question above about the recent U.S. Open!) and Monahan’s mishandling of LIV and the lack of progress toward an agreement that re-settles the golf landscape will remain a key part of his legacy.
John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. Many fans won’t forget Monahan flipping his stance on LIV when the legal bills were escalating and “legacy not leverage” failed. But diehard Tour fans also know what Monahan did to get through the pandemic, keeping most sponsors on board and later getting several to pony up more money for the signature event model. That is downright amazing and the Tour’s rich middle class should always hold Monahan in the highest regard.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fact or Fiction: Jay Monahan’s Tenure As PGA Tour Commissioner Was a Success.