PGA Tour stars vote for Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy replacement

PGA Tour stars have chosen a new leader amidst the ongoing talks of a potential merger with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf. Camilo Villegas, currently ranked 152nd in the world, has been elected chairman of the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council, succeeding Jordan Spieth. Villegas, triumphing over Kevin Streelman in the vote, will serve as chairman for the remainder of 2024 and then replace Spieth on the Policy Board starting in 2025.

This transition comes at a critical juncture for the PGA Tour as negotiations continue regarding a potential merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), backers of the LIV Golf initiative. Villegas, aged 42, will join the ranks of player directors including Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, and Tiger Woods. Together, they will collaborate with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on pivotal decisions affecting the tour, notably the impending framework agreement with the PIF.

Rory McIlroy’s departure from his role at the end of last year underscored the distractions arising from the off-course politics between rival tours. In explaining his decision, McIlroy cited the demands on his time from various commitments, including his golf career, family, investments, and involvement in TGL. With the PGA Tour’s players now looking to Villegas to steer them through ongoing negotiations, McIlroy has opted for a more subdued role in recent months.

Villegas’ ascension to leadership follows a resurgence in his career, notably marked by his victory at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship last November, his first PGA Tour win in nine years. With five titles to his name on the American-based circuit, including four within a span of six years from 2008 to 2016, Villegas brings both experience and renewed momentum to his new role.