PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh stepping down; not renewing contract

Seth Waugh has decided to step down after six years as CEO of the PGA of America.

Waugh, who was previously CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, became CEO of the PGA of America in September 2018, the same month that the 2018 Ryder Cup was held at Le Golf National in Paris. Of course, the PGA of America hosts both the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship.

But now, a month before Le Golf National is set to host the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions, Waugh statement He will not be renewing his contract with the organization.

“I recently informed the board that I will not be renewing my contract, which expires June 30, but I am honored to continue serving the association in a senior advisory role,” Waugh said.

“It has been a true honor to serve as CEO of the PGA of America for the past six years.”

Waugh has had quite a long tenure, and in May 2019, he led the Bethpage Black organization in moving the PGA Championship to May for the first time, instead of the usual August date.

Then a global pandemic disrupted the entire world, resulting in a golf boom among amateur players. Golf continued to grow among a younger and more diverse demographic, with people from all walks of life now playing the game.

But in recent years, the rise of LIV Golf has divided the men’s professional golf world. Waugh and the PGA of America have largely stayed out of the fight between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, but he said at Oak Hill in 2023 that “division is not good for golf.”

Still, the PGA of America invited a number of LIV golfers to compete in this year’s Valhalla tournament in hopes of fielding the strongest field in golf.

Additionally, Waugh has spoken out many times about golf ball rollback, which has stirred controversy over the past decade as golf’s two governing bodies, the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the R&A, wanted to create rules to counter the current incredible distances that professional golfers can hit with distance-limited golf balls.

“We are concerned that the proposed changes would seriously disrupt the game’s current momentum and could be fundamentally damaging and detrimental in the long term,” Waugh wrote in July 2023.

“We feel this is divisive and could lead to the loss of a very dangerous feature of golf – that we all play on the same courses with the same clubs and balls. In our view, this dynamic should be maintained as a fundamental principle.”

In response, the USGA and R&A decided that instead of creating a separate ball for the pro circuit, all golfers would use a new, more distance-limited ball that would be introduced in professional events in 2028 and in the amateur game by 2030.

“The best players are going to understand this new ball and how to hit it farther than I can,” Waugh said at Valhalla in May 2024.

Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images

“I think our biggest concern is that it will confuse the 0.5 percent of players in the sport as it grows. And where is the line of what is elite and what is not? Is the club championship elite or not? So we’re happy with that being the rule and the sport will be bigger than all of this. We can all debate it, but I think the sport is good not just recreationally but professionally as well.”

Waugh also witnessed some incredible events during his time in office.

He watched Phil Mickelson become the oldest major champion at Kiawah Island and witnessed Justin Thomas win his second Wanamaker Trophy at Southern Hills in 2022. Then Michael Bullock became an internet sensation at Oak Hill with a hole-in-one on the 15th hole that will forever be remembered by golf fans.

Additionally, in 2021, he witnessed America win the Ryder Cup on home soil when Steve Stricker captained Team USA to victory in his home state of Wisconsin.

But the captain for the tournament at Bethpage Black in 2025 has yet to be announced, while Luke Donald will return as leader of Team Europe after last fall’s dominant win in Rome.

“We are pleased to announce that PGA President John Lindert and championships chief executive officer Kelly Hague will serve as co-chief executives of the organization,” the statement said.

“Our goal from the beginning was to leave the room better than when we walked in, and I believe together we have accomplished just that,” Waugh added.

“I would like to thank our members, my colleagues, all the various officers, past and present presidents, our incredible partners, colleagues from all the other golf organisations and all those who play and love our beautiful game for their support and friendship along this journey. It has truly been an incredible gift.”

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.