Haigh named Chief Championships Officer of The PGA of America

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Kerry Haigh, widely recognized as one of the leading authorities in tournament golf course set-up and operations, has been named chief championships officer of The PGA of America.

Haigh, who joined The PGA in 1989, was most recently the Association's managing director of Championships and Business Development. He will continue to lead the overall operation, administration, golf course set-up and success of the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid and PGA Grand Slam of Golf. His responsibilities also include the managing of more than 20 PGA Club Professional, amateur and junior tournaments throughout the year.

"The golf industry looks to Kerry Haigh as an innovator and a master of championship set-up and management, and we are delighted that he will continue to lead the way," said Pete Bevacqua, chief executive officer of The PGA of America.

After graduating from the University of Leeds, Haigh worked for the Professional Golfers’ Association in Great Britain, organizing events throughout Europe. In 1984, he became a tournament official for the LPGA Tour, working more than 30 tournaments a year. In 1988, he was hired by Kemper Sports to be the tournament director for the 1989 PGA Championship, held at Kemper Lakes in Chicago.

Following the 1989 PGA Championship, Haigh was hired by The PGA of America to oversee the entire Tournament Department. Promoted to managing director in 2004, he is widely considered one of the foremost experts on The Rules of Golf.

"Kerry is such an incredibly valuable leader on our team, and The PGA is most fortunate to have him as the caretaker of our championships," added Darrell Crall, The PGA of America’s chief operating officer.

"It is an honor to be named chief championships officer for The PGA of America," said Haigh. "The PGA stages some of the most compelling and drama-packed championships in all of golf. It is a privilege to manage these prestigious, world-class competitions that feature the finest players in the game."

In addition to naming Haigh chief championships officer, The PGA of America promoted Kevin Carter to serve as managing director of Business Development. While serving as its senior director since 2006, Carter has steered The PGA’s continued relationships with an extensive list of sponsors, partners and licensees, including Official Patron sponsorships with American Express, Mercedes-Benz, OMEGA and RBC.

About The PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.