PGA of America president out after Cup gaffes
Key takeaways
- Don Rea Jr., who came under fire after his delayed response to unruly fan behavior directed at the European team at the Ryder Cup, is out as president of the PGA of America, effective immediately, it was announced.
- The board of directors announced a leadership "transition" on Friday after announcing that Rea had been suspended for the remainder of his two-year term, which ends in November.
- His apology came after PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague had already apologized to McIlroy and his wife, Erica.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Don Rea Jr., who came under fire after his delayed response to unruly fan behavior directed at the European team at the Ryder Cup, is out as president of the PGA of America, effective immediately, it was announced.
The board of directors announced a leadership "transition" on Friday after announcing that Rea had been suspended for the remainder of his two-year term, which ends in November. PGA of America vice president Nathan Charnes has been named acting president.
Rea initially compared vitriolic, expletive-laden comments directed toward Rory McIlroy and the rest of the European Ryder Cup team in September at Bethpage Black to what could be heard at a youth soccer game. A week later, Rea apologized in an email to the 30,000-plus golf professionals he was elected to serve, saying then that "some fan behavior clearly crossed the line" and was "disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA of America golf professionals."