That is, until Whan made a few quiet phone calls to other leaders in the industry - Jay Monahan (PGA Tour), Keith Pelley (European Tour), David Abeles (TaylorMade) and the man he would replace at the USGA, Mike Davis. As Mike Whan begins his 11th year as the LPGA tour's commissioner with no plan on leaving, . But Im not sure the USGA would ever take a bow. The executive, Mike Whan, is a changemaker, in the parlance of the corporate marketing world he came up in. If youre there, theyll talk to you. He did more than give us a voice; he held the megaphone to our lips, says LPGA veteran Christina Kim. But I dont think you can say that as you elevate up to the best players in the world. I know theres plenty of people that Ill work for now who probably will be scared to death of the term bifurcation. Of course I want to preserve the game, but only after I promote it.. He keeps moving, not breaking stride. I hope when we have big ideas that can take this game further, were a valuable resource and partner, or were holding the flag at the front of the parade. Through the years Whan, 56, fielded calls on everything from pin positions to the clubhouse buffet, but it was the open dialogue on weightier matters that changed the culture of the LPGA. Michael (Mike) Whan joined the USGA as its chief executive officer (CEO) on July 1, 2021, becoming its eighth chief executive. The Apollo Cafe on Forbes Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh is described on Google Maps as an unfussy place for breakfast. Its exactly that. Quick . Golfweek caught up with Whan, who officially started July 1, when he was a mere seven days into the new gig to talk about where the game might be headed under his leadership. He started caddying at a local country club in Naperville, Ill., out in Chicagos western suburbs and ended up taking a job on the grounds crew. Lots of grease. If I have a customer in town or a friend, I could impress them. The biggest change inside the walls of the USGA under Whan, other than everything moving faster, is the shift in perspective at the Now, when inside the association proposes an idea, Whan might kick back with, Yeah, but if we dont figure this part out, well be putting manufacturers in a difficult spot. Or hell say, You know, that wont work for a tour organization. This amounts to a major shift in vantage point. In a weird way, the last 12 years set me up for that. We also do not know when the couple got married.Mike Whan was born on 1965, February 10. I know the industry enough to know that Mike Whan was probably a bit of a misfit, relative to what the USGA typically has, Whan says with his mouth full. Lets pause, however. I really want to listen to other people and understand their perspective. Im already working on em. If you need help from a membership perspective, then let us provide that. To their credit, they dont really get too out of whack when it doesnt work out, but they also dont get too high when its successful. I dont mean that in a bad way. Aw, no, no, I cant. His wife Camila, formerly known as the Princess of Wales, now holds the title of queen consort. Whan is planning to introduce a U.S. Developmental program for young women, first, then expand it to men. Asked about the narrative that a guy that breaks the rules is now the one that makes the rules, Whan says, Im not sure Id say Im a rule-breaker. In the same breath, he says, The only thing I worry about is my pace of play versus the USGAs pace of play. In 2002, Whan became the president and CEO of Mission Hockey, a hockey equipment company. If Im smart enough to let them teach me while Im trying to teach them, I could be good for them, and they could be good for me. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Apart from working at LPGA, he has also worked for companies like Mission-Itech hockey and Taylormade-Adidas Golf Company. Pandemics happen, lawsuits happen and all kinds of things where youd say, if youre going to run the game with a leaders mentality, you have to make sure you have the ability to do just that. I knew, if theyre going to hire me, then theyre going to have to hire me. He enjoyed a salary of $1,176,119 per year during his time at ALGA. When asked if he had any ideas jotted down on cocktail napkins yet, a classic Whan-ism, he held up a legal pad with seven bullet points. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Mike's . Seven. Our Next CEO: Mike Whan Will Take Helm in Summer - USGA Im proud of that, but at the same time Ive got to find the right balance. Mike Whan named next USGA CEO, ready to embrace challenges and Mike Whan's salary per month and other career earnings are over $400,000 dollars annually. Those 5,000 become golf nuts working in the equipment industry, building courses, working in golf shops. The USGA announced on Wednesday that current LPGA commissioner Mike Whan will succeed Mike Davis as its new CEO, becoming the eighth top executive in . In February, Whan was named the next Chief Executive Officer of the USGA. Theres a belief that the USGA is afraid to stand up to manufacturers because of the threat of litigation. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. The times are changing. (The offices officially reopened July 12). Whan said TaylorMade CEO Abeles was the first person to call and ask if he was thinking about the USGA job. Their reaction of Please do this, this should be good for all of us. The first thing were going to invest in is to make sure were the best championships in the world, he said. Team England officials have been left scrambling. He thought about Sierra Brooks, the promising Symetra Tour rookie with grand plans for the LPGA. Got a wish list? His first meeting with the USGA had come a month beforehand. They still need work., Whan says he cant come right out and open up the folder at this breakfast table because in part, Im not sure my staff knows whats coming yet. These ideas are indeed coming, though. Ive nicknamed half the board already. He flew home on Friday because thats what he always has done at U.S. Her next shot was magical. When, in conversation, you bring up this very obvious characterization to Whan, he sort of scoffs it away. The first time Mike Whan walked into USGA headquarters wearing shorts and a T-shirt, he could tell employees immediately began to text about the new CEOs casual attire. How do we build a development team so these kids who have real prowess and opportunity could get developed earlier and with more help? That a player from the Philippines and a player from Japan, Nasa Hataoka, met in a playoff is old hat for anybody who follows womens golf closely. In fact, now that he oversees the biggest championship in womens golf, the subject of equal purses at the U.S. and U.S. Womens Open seems especially relevant. Mike Whan is married and has kids with his wife. Marcoux Samaan replaces Mike Whan, the longest-tenured LPGA commissioner who rebuilt the tour and announced in January he would be stepping down from the role. The people on the manufacturing side know me well enough to know Im a marketing guy at heart. Of course, the Ping lawsuit from 1987 still hovers over this debate. Im convinced five are right, already. Ive said this before about Lexi, but youre not going to have days like that unless youre good enough to be there in the first place, Whan said. Because of that, we were willing to support his vision of what we could be., Whan grew up in Naperville, Ill., and at 13 worked on the maintenance crew of a country club. He should have been tired. Mike Whan with an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf member (Getty Images/LPGA). But Whans heart was always in sports, and he jumped at the chance to work for Wilson Sporting Goods, overseeing the golf-ball division, and later became an executive vice president at TaylorMade. Table of Contents Mike Whan Wikipedia And Bio Who is Mike Whan Wife? I feel like if you want to critique the USGA, the fair critique is why not before now? Then I got into the office on the first day and one of the first questions I was asked was, Hi Mike, are you all set on white polos?, I said to em, I go, Uh, I have seven of them., And they go, Yes, right, is that OK? Whan, meanwhile, is, in his own words, a salesman.He started at Procter & Gamble in 1987, rising to a position as director of marketing for its oral care department before leaving in 1994 to take over as vice president and GM of Wilson Sporting Goods. USGA: New CEO Mike Whan talks distance, money and more - Yahoo! What seemed like such an obvious next step to so many for the outgoing LPGA commissioner wasnt a slam-dunk to the man himself. Mike Whan is a married man. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images). His foot was on the gas. He is a former commissioner of the American Ladies Golf . He aint that. I dont know that Im right, and I really want to hear other perspectives. But, we cant do that blindly, to where it pulls the game back to where manufacturers pull back, and advertising pulls way back, and as a result, the excitement of the fan pulls way back., Its hard to be all things to all parties but that, apparently, is what Whan is going for. What is Mike Whan Nationality ? Its ingrained in his very specific bio, one filled with a sequence of quirks. That could prove useful because, for whatever reason, tour players these days love to criticize the USGA. Other countries have great developmental programs. And, as per his LinkedIn, he has worked as a CEO, President, General Manager, and commissioner.We can find Mike Whan on Twitter under the name @LPGACommish, where he describes himself as a father, husband, and commissioner. So Ill be at the U.S. As per his date of birth, his age . He wouldnt dream of faking it but also requested to get signed up for the next virtual rules seminar so that I wont embarrass you probably more than I already will.. But as Ive said to the board, You can lead a team in a huddle. You can still huddle the industry, but make sure that people have a chance to talk and vote, and then somebodys gotta call the play. First, though, he wanted some time away from it all. They are Austin, Wesley, and Connor. What Im saying is, I dont know the perspective of everybody else. I think COVID, and what we just lived through in 2020, makes that group feel more than ever, thank goodness theres a nest egg, because that one year couldve wiped out half. Whan was at the end of a long week and about to start another one. An American (Nelly Korda) is now No. The USGA has a unique role in golf in terms of we need to lead the way, said Francis, but we need to get people to come along with us.. We know its coming. I think the USGA would be uniquely suited to do that. Initially, he thought he was going to do exactly that. He and his wife, Meg, were going to take 2021 off. I havent had those conversations with everybody yet, but I will. Just as lasting is the close connection he forged with the players, each of whom was famously given his cell number. Your 2021 U.S. Womens Open champion. This U.S. Open wasnt you go, girl it was you go, period. It's complicated, 7 things we learned (and didn't learn) from the ball-rollback explainer. Whan, the longest-tenured LPGA commissioner who rebuilt the tour from near ashes when he took on the job in 2010 and passed the ultimate stress test by seeing the tour through a global pandemic, now takes on a new set of challenges as head of golfs governing body. Stanford is going to have some team when she gets there, Whan said. Thompson, who made a bogey on the last to finish a shot out of a playoff, was a central figure in Whans 11 years as commissioner. He has written a variety of books about golf and other subjects, the most recent of which is The Second Life of Tiger Woods. ", https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/02/17/usga-ceo-mike-whan-lpga-commissioner/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Q&A: Amy Olson on that deeply emotional U.S. Women's Open run, the LPGA's pickleball craze and replacing Mike Whan, Nichols: Mike Whan is leaving the LPGA, but the mission to cultivate allies for women's golf will never leave him, Players react to shocking news of commissioner Mike Whan leaving LPGA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There is a certain image evoked when one thinks of the executive director of the USGA. On this, no one is quite sure what to expect. He checks out a breakfast menu on the wall, makes a quick decision.