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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Longtime PGA Tour executive Andy Pazder resigned Tuesday, two days before the start of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, according to a memo sent to tour members.
Pazder, who spent more than 30 years with the tour, was its chief tournaments and competitions officer. He was previously executive vice president and chief of operations and senior vice president of tournament administration for the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour. He joined the tour in 1989.
In the memo to players, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, the tour said executive vice president and president Tyler Dennis would assume Pazder’s responsibilities.
Players received the memo about two hours before a previously scheduled meeting with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan at TPC Southwind. Sources told ESPN that Pazder’s resignation was not related to the PGA Tour’s planned alliance with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
“Earlier today, Andy Pazder informed the PGA Tour of his decision to resign his position, effectively immediately,” the memo to players said. “Tyler Dennis will assume Andy’s responsibilities, overseeing our tournaments and competitions. Please contact Player Relations if you have any questions regarding Andy’s resignation.”
The Golf Channel first reported Pazder’s resignation.
Pazder is the second PGA Tour executive to resign in the past month. On July 9, former AT&T chairman Randall Stephenson stepped down from his position as an independent director on the PGA Tour’s policy board over concerns about the planned alliance with Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund.
Tiger Woods was added as a sixth player director on the policy board last week. PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will also join the board as an independent director if the planned partnership with the PGA Tour is finalized. A replacement for Stephenson would still be named, according to sources.