Sprague succeeds Waugh as PGA of America CEO

Derek Sprague has been selected arsenic the adjacent CEO astatine the PGA of America, the first clip a nine master has been chosen to lead the statement successful astir 20 years.

Sprague, who spent 25 years astatine his hometown Malone Golf Club successful New York, besides becomes the first CEO to person served arsenic PGA president. He takes complete for Seth Waugh, the erstwhile Deutsche Bank Americas CEO who took complete successful 2018 until announcing his status earlier this year.

"To person a leader astatine the helm who knows each item of the relation and what it intends to beryllium a PGA of America Member will alteration our relation to win acold into the future," said Don Rea Jr., president of the PGA of America.

Sprague, a PGA of America personnel since 1993, astir precocious was wide head of the TPC Sawgrass. He was hired successful 2018 aft moving astatine Liberty National successful New Jersey, which hosted the Presidents Cup during his tenure.

In his last twelvemonth of a two-year word arsenic PGA president, Jimmy Walker won the 2016 PGA Championship astatine Baltusrol aft a rain-soaked play that astir carried complete to Monday. Presenting the Wanamaker Trophy was his last enactment arsenic president.

But his roots were successful upstate New York, arsenic the wide head and head of play astatine Malone, wherever he ran each facet of the club.

Sprague takes complete astatine a clip erstwhile play is going done a large turnover successful leadership. Martin Slumbers has retired arsenic CEO of the R&A. Mollie Marcoux Samaan precocious stepped down arsenic commissioner of the LPGA. Guy Kinnings precocious completed his first twelvemonth arsenic CEO of the European tour. And PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced this week a hunt for a caller position of CEO astatine the commercialized PGA Tour Enterprises.

The PGA of America announced earlier this week it would pay its Ryder Cup players for the first time, a operation of $300,000 earmarked for kindness and a $200,000 stipend.

"Throughout my profession I person made it a privilege to bring group together astir a communal cause," Sprague said successful a connection announcing his hire. "At a clip of profound alteration successful golf, location is besides awesome opportunity for our relation and our members.

"It is my task, alongside the officers and board, to elevate the occupation of our much than 30,000 PGA of America play professionals while ensuring the wellness of the relation and its relationships wrong our industry."

Jim Awtrey, the erstwhile Oklahoma play coach and caput master astatine various Oklahoma play clubs, was the first CEO of the PGA of America successful 1993. He near successful 2005 and was succeeded by broadcast executive Joe Steranka. He was followed by Pete Bevacqua, a USGA business serviceman who near to subordinate NBC and now is diversion head astatine Notre Dame; and past Waugh.

Kerry Haigh, the main championships serviceman for the PGA of America, had been acting arsenic interim CEO since Waugh's status successful June.