Waugh's noteworthy accomplishments include new TV deals and moving the company's HQ to Friscogetty images
PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh made the
decision to step aside on Wednesday, and it marks the third major change at the top of a golf governing body in the year’s first half. European Tour CEO Keith Pelley
resigned in January to join Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, with his decision coming the same day R&A CEO Martin Slumbers
said he would also step down at the end of the year.
The moves aren’t necessarily related but come at a time when the game itself is going through its own state of turmoil with the disruption caused by LIV Golf. Waugh’s tenure with the PGA mirrors those of his two predecessors. His contract is up June 30, just shy of six years at the helm. Pete Bevacqua and Joe Steranka both also moved on after six years leading the organization.
Waugh leaves the PGA in an arguably better position than when he assumed control in September 2018, ushering in a number of big moments during his tenure.
The organization moved its headquarters from Florida to Frisco in 2022 onto a $500M campus that Waugh has referred to as the “
Silicon Valley of Golf.” Waugh has continued to shepherd the Women’s PGA Championship, with sponsorship from KPMG and taking it to iconic courses that in the past only hosted men’s events.
Waugh has been a leader during the ongoing tumult surrounding the men’s game in recent years. While not
mincing words about the LIV product, he has pushed that the game come back together, even saying last month there is an “existential need” for it. Under Waugh’s guidance, the Ryder Cup has also grown into
one of the biggest commercial successes in pro sports.
Waugh also made the call to
move the 2022 PGA away from former President Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey to Southern Hills following the Capitol riots in 2021. He also
negotiated TV contracts for the PGA Championship with CBS and ESPN that began in 2020.
As for Waugh's successor, the PGA said it would look for candidates both inside and outside the organization. It is using Spencer Stuart as a search firm, the same one used when the organization hired Craig Kessler as its COO last year. Sources said Kessler is one potential name to watch as a replacement for Waugh. He only joined the PGA in 2023, but the Harvard grad came on board after a run as COO at TopGolf that saw the company grow exponentially and has impressed in his time in Frisco.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
* Geoff Shackelford notes the timing of Waugh’s departure is "curious given how he appeared to be more engaged with issues at May’s PGA than at any point in his tenure." Reeling off numbers about the sport’s growth in his "trademark laid-back style, Waugh trumpeted gains golf has made in attracting more women and children while highlighting the many creative ways newcomers are finding the game as a result of various initiatives."
* The AP's
Doug Ferguson noted Waugh's involvement in golf "dates back longer than his time with the PGA." He was behind bringing a PGA Tour event to TPC Boston in 2003 and has been a "key voice in business and golf along the way."
* Global Golf Post's
Ron Green Jr. notes Waugh "intends to step away from the day-to-day demands of his job but hopes to remain involved in the game." In addition to adding "major corporate partners including T-Mobile, Waugh has seen the PGA Championship thrive since moving to May from its former August date while the organization’s other major events continue to grow."
