Mike Whan Stepping Down

Last week, the Commissioner of the LPGA. Mike Whan announced that he will be stepping aside in 2021. When Whan took over as Commissioner, it was during the “great recession” and now, he’s stepping away having shephearding the organization through the COVID pandemic, as a matter of fact, he said in his announcement that the pandemic played a role in his decision, saying that it gave him time to think and assess his situation.

Whan just might down as the most consequential sports Commissioner since the late Pete Rozelle. Sure, Tim Finchem guided the PGA tour through the same recession more than a decade ago, and David Stern brilliantly led the NBA for more than 30 years, but neither the PGA Tour, nor the NBA was standing on a cliff, with one foot in the air, and the other on the perverbial banana peel.

It’s easy to forget what the LPGA was like when Whan took over. Carolyn Blevins, the previous Commissioner had left the organization in such terrible shape, many thought it had no chance of surviving. Remember the arguments, the LPGA couldn’t survive unless more of the players learned English. That’s where we were when Whan arrived.

He leaves the tour in a much better place than he found it. in 2021, COVID not withstanding, there are 34 events scheduled to take place around the world, with over $76 million in prize money. Whoever it is that takes his place will be forever grateful for the foundation he laid. Solid sponsorship partners, as solid as any of those agreements can be in these times. A membership that’s growing and being embraced more and more around the world. A membership that understands the needs and goals of the organization and maybe in the end, that will be his greatest legacy. How the players on tour feel about their tour, the pride, the ownership they take in the tour.

Whan created an award back in 2013, the “Act Like A Founder” award. I join in the chorus, Mike Whan should be the recipient of the 2021 award. Filling his shoes will be a tall task for the next Commissioner, whoever he or she may be. They will have one advantage Mike Whan never had, and that’s that he’ll always be as close a phone call away.