(ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.) – Tim Finchem, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR, has been named Chairman of the World Golf Foundation’s Board of Directors for 2014. Finchem succeeds Mike Whan, the Commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), who served as the 2013 Board Chairman.Tim Finchem began his 20th year as commissioner of the PGA TOUR in June 2013. From the time Finchem joined the TOUR management team, he has played a key role in strengthening the PGA TOUR's position as one of the most successful, well-respected sports organizations in the world, and his leadership has helped foster the growth of the game, both domestically and internationally.
Finchem has also been instrumental in the formation of the World Golf Foundation. His personal dedication to the success of the World Golf Foundation's The First Tee initiative has meant that, in just 15 years, The First Tee has grown to include close to 200 chapters that have reached more than 7.6 million young people.
“It is an honor to be selected as Chairman and I’m looking forward to working closely with our game’s leaders to address issues of global importance,” said Finchem. “Golf has never been healthier worldwide and it is our responsibility to ensure its continued vitality.”
“Tim’s long-time leadership in the golf industry will be critical as we focus on enhancing the growth of the game worldwide,” said Steve Mona, Chief Executive Officer of the World Golf Foundation. “He has an outstanding record of achievement and we look forward to his leadership in 2014.”
In addition to Finchem and Whan, the other World Golf Foundation Board members are Pete Bevacqua, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of America; Mike Davis, Executive Director of the United States Golf Association; Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A; Will Jones, Executive Director of The Masters Tournament Foundation and George O’Grady, Chief Executive of the PGA European Tour. Chris Normyle, Manager, Sponsorships and Events of the Shell Oil Company, also serves on the WGF Board as a representative of the WGF’s Founding Partner.
About World Golf Foundation
The World Golf Foundation (WGF) is a nonprofit organization that develops and supports initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values. The Foundation, which was founded in 1993 and is supported by major international golf organizations and professional Tours, provides oversight to World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum, The First Tee, GOLF 20/20 and other industry initiatives in support of its mission. As sole founding partner of the World Golf Foundation, Shell Oil Company provides financial support and plays a lead role in charitable initiatives aimed at introducing golf to young people, and through the golf experience promotes scholastic achievement, community service and those values intrinsic to the game of golf: honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.
For more information about the WGF, visit www.worldgolffoundation.org.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning 120 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada.
The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to nearly 945 million households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2012, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $130 million for local charitable organizations, bringing the TOUR’s all-time total of charitable contributions to $1.86 billion.
The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
