Jay Monahan is leaving the PGA Tour next year after a decade that ends with a league fractured by the Saudi riches of LIV Golf, turning it over to top NFL executive Brian Rolapp in a new role as CEO.

Rolapp, the chief media and business officer for the NFL and a key executive for Commissioner Roger Goodell, was introduced Tuesday as CEO, a position that had never existed in the tour’s six decades of existence.

“Players are central to everything we do, and making sure they are supported and heard will be a top priority,” Rolapp said in an open letter. “At the same time, we are going to keep challenging ourselves to grow the game in new ways, reach new fans, and create a tour that reflects the future of sports and entertainment.”

Monahan announced last December the search for a CEO. Still unclear was Monahan’s role until the announcement of Rolapp.

Monahan will shift his day-to-day responsibilities to Rolapp and focus more on his position on the PGA Tour board, along with the commercial PGA Tour Enterprises board, through 2026.

Rolapp was introduced two days after the U.S. Open, one of four times a year all the best players are together.

Monahan, who guided all of golf through the COVID-19 pandemic, was criticized for not taking a meeting with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia when it wanted to invest in golf with a team component.

LIV Golf began in June 2022 and lured away over the next two years Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson.

Monahan and two board members, Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy, then secretly met with PIF leadership and reached an agreement in late May 2023 that was geared toward bringing golf back together. That infuriated PGA Tour players who stayed loyal.

The framework agreement was never finalized. The PGA Tour and PIF are still negotiating on an investment deal.

“Brian is the perfect choice for the next chapter of the PGA Tour,” Monahan added. “His arrival strengthens our leadership team and reflects our shared commitment to the TOUR’s continued evolution. With Brian’s expertise and vision, and the trust we’ve established with our players and fans, I’m more confident than ever in the future we’re building.”

MOTORSPORTS

Spire Motorsports fined driver Carson Hocevar $50,000 on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a live stream as NASCAR raced there last weekend.

Hocevar walked back the comments Sunday night with an apology and the 22-year-old admitted it was the first time he’d ever been outside the United States and believed all the negative things he’d read and heard about Mexico City.

“I am embarrassed by my comments,” he posted in a lengthy apology.

Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

Spire said the $50,000 fine will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities:

— Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross).

— Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early-childhood development in rural communities.

— Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico), which funds local NGOs that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” the team said in a statement. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”

Spire said it informed NASCAR of Hocevar’s penalties and that it satisfied the sanctioning body’s requirements.

“Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fan base we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity,” Spire said.

SOCCER

Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense played to a 0-0 draw in the Fifa Club World Cup on Tuesday in rainy conditions before a crowd of just less than half capacity at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey that heavily favored the Brazilian club.

Fluminense’s best scoring chance came in the 58th minute on a left-footed shot by Agustín Canobbio from the center of the box that was saved by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

River Plate 3, Urawa Red Diamonds 1: Sebastian Driussi scored for River Plate but was injured in the process, Marcos Acuña recorded two assists and the Argentine club beat the Urawa Red Diamonds in the Club World Cup at Lumen Field in Seattle.

Driussi’s goal three minutes into the second half made it 2-0, but he collided with goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa and fell to the ground in pain, grabbing his ankle. He limped off the field with assistance.

Mamelodi Sundowns 1, Ulsan HD 0: Iqraam Rayners scored from point-blank range in the 36th minute to give Mamelodi Sundowns a win over Ulsan HD in the group stage of the Club World Cup in Orlando, Florida.

WNBA

Caitlin Clark had 20 points, six assists and four 3-pointers and the host Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 88-71 on Tuesday night in a physical game that included three late ejections.

With 46.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut guard Jacy Sheldon made a steal and raced the other way before being wrapped up by Sophie Cunningham under the basket for a hard foul. Sheldon got up quicky and got into a shoving match with Cunningham, leading to Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all getting ejected.

Sheldon was also the center of another official review in the third quarter after she poked Clark in the eye and then Marina Mabrey came in late to shove Clark to the floor. Three technical fouls were called, leading to Clark’s three free throws for a 58-45 lead.

The Indiana win, combined with Atlanta’s 86-81 loss to New York, secured the Fever’s spot in the Commissioner’s Cup with a 4-1 record.