Former PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman has been named recipient of the PGA of America’s highest annual honor, the PGA Distinguished Service Award.
Beman, 77, will receive the award on Nov. 13 at a ceremony in conjunction with the 99th PGA annual meeting in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Beman was the Tour’s second commissioner, succeeding the late Joe Dey in 1974. Beman’s 20-year run as commissioner saw significant growth in television revenues and charitable contributions, plus the creation of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour), the Ben Hogan Tour (now the Web.com Tour), the World Golf Village and the Presidents Cup.
Begun in 1988, the PGA Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf. Previous honorees include Bob Hope, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Patty Berg, Jack Nicklaus, and former Presidents Gerald Ford (1991), George H.W. Bush (1997) and Bill Clinton (2014).
