Former LPGA player SUZY WHALEY on Saturday became the "first female officer in the PGA of America's history" and is "on course to become the organization's first female president" in '18, according to Michael Marot of the AP. Whaley received 52.63% of the 114 votes in a "three-way race for secretary near the end" of the annual PGA meeting in Indianapolis. Jacksonville-based Hidden Hills Country Club Owner RUSS LIBBY "was second" with 33.33% followed by Tucson Country Club PGA professional MICHAEL HAYWOOD with 14.04%. Whaley will "serve the next two years as PGA secretary, then two years as vice president before starting a two-year term as president and another two-year term as honorary president." Each promotion "must be approved through a formal vote, which is usually considered a formality." For the PGA, it is a "chance to turn the page on one of the organization's darker chapters." Former President TED BISHOP "was ousted last month after using social media to call European pro IAN POULTER a 'Lil Girl' and writing that Poulter sounded 'like a little girl squealing during recess.'" But Whaley's appointment "wasn't the only business Saturday," as voters approved VP DEREK SPRAGUE "to become the association's 39th president." They also "voted to promote" Secretary PAUL LEVY to VP and extended Honorary President ALLEN WRONOWSKI's term "an additional two years." He will "fill the void left by Bishop's ouster" (AP, 11/22).
NOT A HASTY DECISION: GOLFCHANNEL.com's Rex Hoggard wrote Whaley’s victory was "more than simply a mandate following Bishop’s miscue." Whaley had "been the frontrunner for the post well before Bishop tweeted his response to Poulter’s criticism of NICK FALDO on Oct. 23." Whaley’s campaign "focused on the PGA’s various grow-the-game initiatives, particularly its junior programs" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 11/22). GOLFCHANNEL.com's Randall Mell wrote while Saturday's vote "was historic, it was not hasty." As "monumental as Whaley’s election may have been, it should not be viewed as an overreaction to recent events" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 11/23). GOLF WORLD MONDAY's Tim Rosaforte writes Whaley's appointment is a "statement not only as it relates to growing the game, but also in recasting the PGA as inclusive after the controversial tweet" from Bishop (GOLF WORLD MONDAY, 11/24 issue).
COMING TO TERMS: GOLFWEEK's Alex Miceli wrote Bishop "has come to terms with what happened." In doing so, he "doesn't necessarily agree with the outcome, but refuses to let it gnaw at him." Bishop said, “I've spent a lot of time working on my business plan for 2015. And I guess ... it's the first time I ever looked at it this way, but I think at this point in my career I view myself as just a typical working PGA professional that happened to serve in the capacity of president of the PGA of America for 23 months.” Bishop has "chosen to focus on his job of running the golf course -- The Legends Golf Club, about 30 minutes south of Indianapolis, just off Interstate 65 -- that he has owned from over 20 years." Bishop has "vowed to put everything behind him and move on, but to not stop trying to help." Time will "need to pass before the Bishop presidency can be judged truly on its merits," and "whatever that verdict, Bishop will be comfortable with it" (GOLFWEEK.com, 11/22).
