The PGA TOUR announced that PGA TOUR Canada – Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday will be retiring from the PGA TOUR after more than 30 years of service.
In 2012, Monday led exploratory efforts to determine the PGA TOUR’s role with the Canadian Tour, and he subsequently assumed the position of President when the TOUR agreed to assume operational control of the Tour starting with the 2013 season.
Monday has overseen significant growth of the Mackenzie Tour, with the schedule now including 12 official events with an average purse of $200,000 (CAD). Mackenzie Tour alumni since 2013 include 31 PGA TOUR players, including TOUR winners Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, Aaron Wise, Tony Finau and Adam Long, and more than 190 Web.com Tour players. The Mackenzie Tour has also made an impact in the communities in which it plays, having donated $4.1 million (CAD) to charity since 2013, including more than $1 million in each of the last three years.
“Jeff Monday has made incredibly significant contributions to our business during his career at the PGA TOUR,” said PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Thanks to Jeff’s vision and leadership, establishing the Mackenzie Tour has been a cornerstone of our international growth over the last six years, and the Tour is set up to flourish well into the future. We can’t thank Jeff enough for his contributions and leadership over the last 30 years.”
Prior to his position with the Mackenzie Tour, Monday held leadership roles as Senior Vice President and Chief of Operations for PGA TOUR Champions; Senior Vice President of Tournament Development; Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs for PGA TOUR Champions and Web.com Tour; and Vice President, Retail Marketing. He joined the TOUR in January 1988, leaving to oversee the American Golf Sponsors for five years before returning to TOUR employment in 1995.
“It has been my profound honor to work for the PGA TOUR for these last 30 years. My first thought has been about the great people I have met and the experiences I have had. To be in an environment where you provide competitive opportunities for players while seeing the positive impact these tournaments have in communities has been something very special, and I will always value and treasure my involvement with that,” said Monday. “To work extensively on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, the Web.com Tour and, for the last seven years, the Mackenzie Tour has left me with a great appreciation for how many really good people there are in the golf world. It has been a true joy to be a part of this wonderful sport. I just feel so privileged and grateful.”
The transition in Mackenzie Tour leadership will include longtime Championship Management Executive Director Todd Rhinehart alongside current Mackenzie Tour Vice President Scott Pritchard.
Rhinehart will serve as a Managing Director for several of the TOUR’s international business interests, including the Mackenzie Tour. Previously, Rhinehart oversaw the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia as Executive Director, beginning in 2012, also assisting in the TOUR’s business development in Southeast Asia. Prior to his stint overseas, Rhinehart was the executive director of the TOUR Championship in Atlanta with additional responsibilities with various World Golf Championships events and the Presidents Cup. He has been with the TOUR since 1999.
Pritchard will continue to be based in the PGA TOUR’s Canada offices in Toronto, Ontario. As Vice President of the Mackenzie Tour, he will assume additional responsibilities overseeing tournament business affairs, marketing, sponsorships and scheduling. Pritchard is a veteran of the golf industry, having previously worked for the PGA of Canada in a number of roles from 2003 to 2011. He joined the PGA TOUR in February 2012 after working at the Canadian Tour as Director of Business Development and Communications.
