Head of PGA Championship at Aronimink steps down months before tournament
Ryan Ogle posted on social media that it was time to settle down and plant roots after eight moves in 13 years.
Ryan Ogle, the PGA of America’s tournament director for the 2026 PGA Championship, announced his resignation through social media on Saturday, four months before the Aronomink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia is set to hold the championship.
The historic golf course last hosted the PGA Championship in 1962.
“For the last year and a half,” Ogle wrote, “i’ve had the incredible privilege of leading the 2026 PGA Championship. We’ve been building momentum, telling the story of the event, and I’ve been sharing the journey with all of you right here on LinkedIn. That’s why this is a difficult message to write … in a few days, I will be stepping away from the PGA of America.”
Ogle, who cited the need to settle down and plant roots, is the third PGA of America executive to step away in recent months, following the departure of chief commercial and philanthropy officer Jeff Price in December and CEO Derek Sprague in January.
“I’ve reached a point where planting roots has become more important than planning the next move. I’ve decided to accept a new opportunity that allows me to finally settle my family in a permanent home while taking a significant step forward in my career,” he wrote.
The Louisville, Ky., native moved to Newton Square in September 2024 to prepare for the championship — marking his family’s eighth relocation in 13 years. Ogle previously directed the PGA Championship in 2024 and in 2021.
» READ MORE: PGA Championship tickets are sold out. But there are still ways to get into Aronimink.
The PGA of America has not publicly announced replacements for any of the three vacancies.
“We would like to congratulate Ryan Ogle and wish him the best with his new opportunity,” the association said in a statement obtained by The Inquirer. “We’re grateful for his leadership and contributions to numerous PGA Championships, including the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink.
“Championship planning remains fully on track, supported by an experienced leadership team. We’ll share more about next steps at the appropriate time.”
The championship is set to run May 14-17, marking the first major championship in the area since the 2013 U.S. Open was held at Merion Golf Club. Last spring, the PGA Tour hosted one of its signature events, the Truist Championship, at Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown.
This year’s event joins a busy 2026 slate as one of the many big-name sporting events coming to Philadelphia during America’s 250th celebration.