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The CEO of nan PGA America, Derek Sprague, is stepping distant from his domiciled aft 1 twelvemonth to thief support his mother and mother-in-law.
Sprague said he realized he needed to walk much clip astatine location aft his daughter’s wedding.
"At my daughter’s wedding past period successful upstate New York, it became clear that my family needs maine adjacent to assistance pinch nan attraction of my mother and mother-in-law," Sprague said successful a statement. "Focusing connected family has go my priority, and nan champion determination for maine is to measurement distant from my domiciled as CEO and return location to beryllium pinch them."
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PGA of America past president Derek Sprague announces connected nan first spread during nan a.m. foursome matches for nan 2020 Ryder Cup astatine Whistling Straits. The arena took spot successful Kohler, Wisconsin, connected Sept. 24, 2021. (Montana Pritchard/PGA of America)
Sprague took complete successful January 2025, becoming nan first nine master successful 20 years and nan first PGA president appointed to nan role. He informed nan PGA of America committee successful early December that he needed to spell location to Malone, New York, and said he would enactment connected successful an advisory domiciled until his successor is found.
Sprague, who served arsenic PGA president from 2014-16, was selected arsenic CEO to switch Seth Waugh, nan erstwhile Deutsche Bank Americas CEO who had been lured retired of status successful 2018.
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Derek Sprague, CEO of nan PGA of America, speaks to nan media anterior to nan PGA Championship astatine Quail Hollow Country Club. The arena took spot successful Charlotte, North Carolina, connected May 13, 2025. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Waugh had been grooming Craig Kessler, nan PGA’s main operating officer, arsenic a imaginable replacement, but nan PGA committee opted for 1 of its members. Kessler was appointed LPGA commissioner past summer.
Sprague stepping down extends nan turnover successful golf's executive leadership. Brian Rolapp took complete successful August arsenic CEO of nan PGA Tour Enterprises; Kessler joined nan LPGA successful July; and Mark Darbon is conscionable complete a twelvemonth into his domiciled arsenic CEO of nan R&A.
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Derek Sprague, PGA of America CEO attends a property convention beside nan Black Course astatine Bethpage State Park Golf Course connected September 17, 2025 successful Farmingdale, New York. The 2028 KPMG Women's PGA and 2033 PGA Championship tournaments will beryllium played connected nan course. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Sprague was nan PGA of America executive who reached retired to Rory McIlroy to apologize for nan verbal maltreatment that he and his woman endured astatine Bethpage Black during nan Ryder Cup. McIlroy's wife, Erica, antecedently worked astatine nan PGA of America and McIlroy said Sprague "couldn't person been much gracious" successful what he described arsenic a "lovely letter."
He was inducted into nan PGA of America Hall of Fame successful 2019.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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