Grey Smoke Emerges From 100 PGA Tour Boulevard: Jay Monahan Named Deputy PGA Tour Commissioner
/The PGA Tour sent out this statement from Commissioner Benedict today naming Jay Monahan as the new Deputy Commissioner, a role created to make Monahan the leading candidate to replace the Commish when and if he retires.
STATEMENT FROM PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM:
I am pleased to inform you that Jay Monahan, most recently the PGA TOUR’s Chief Marketing Officer, has been named Deputy Commissioner of the PGA TOUR, effective April 1st.
As such, he will move into the Office of the Commissioner and report directly to me, working closely on the entire scope of business operations and strategy.
No more first class for you Jay!
Jay has been a key member of the TOUR’s senior staff since June of 2008 and has done an excellent job, first as Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship and most recently as heading up our corporate marketing and sponsor relations.
Even though the PGA TOUR continues to grow and prosper, this step is being taken to further strengthen our organizational structure, enhance our management coordination, and ultimately to continue to deliver on three key pieces of our core business: driving benefits to our players, growing the charity support in the communities where we play and doing our part in golf to help grow and protect this great game.
Jay’s new role in this key leadership position will help continue our momentum.
Please join me in congratulating Jay in this assignment.
That sound you just heard? Things being heaved around offices, phone calls to grieving wives who are coming to the realization they only married to the SVP level and résumés either getting torn up or turned into PDF's.
Barring a player revolt--and Monahan is hardly the personality to engender stripe amongst lavishly paid, white-belt wearing grown men--you are probably looking at the next Commissioner.
Jason Sobel concurs, and in that story is embedded Morning Drive's coverage of the news, with Tim Rosaforte sharing more background information on Monahan:
**Jerry Tarde predicted this in February:
Tim Finchem, the best sports commissioner of his generation, talks about a succession plan. Seth Waugh, the former Deutsche Bank CEO, has been the widely reported frontrunner. Ty Votaw, with a George H.W. Bush resume, looks best on paper. But the favorite is the affable marketing wiz Jay Monahan, the youngest contender and best player.
