Derek Sprague has been selected as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PGA of America, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that a club professional has been chosen to lead the organization.
Sprague, who previously served as the president of the PGA from 2014-2016, replaces Seth Waugh, who retired earlier in the year after serving as CEO since 2018.
Sprague’s background includes 25 years as general manager and director of golf at Malone Golf Club in his hometown of Malone, New York. More recently, he has been the general manager at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, since 2018, where he managed significant revenue increases and improvements to the property. Before that, he was the managing director at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, which hosted the 2017 Presidents Cup during his tenure.
Sprague’s appointment comes at a time when there is considerable turnover in golf leadership, with changes in key positions at other major golf organizations like the R&A, LPGA, European Tour, and PGA Tour. His selection is seen as a move to bring in someone with a better understanding of the PGA of America’s operations and a deeper connection with the membership.
Sources: X, PGAA, Getty Images
