From JMU to the PGA
News
SUMMARY: Alumni Derek Sprague (‘88) turned his passion for golf into a remarkable career, rising from a JMU student-athlete to CEO of the PGA of America.
JMU’s College of Business is proud to celebrate its alumni—after all, they are leaders in the business world, shaping industries, driving innovation and making an impact around the globe. From executives at Big Four firms to entrepreneurs and changemakers, our graduates go on to do big things, whether earning prestigious accolades like Virginia Business Person of the Year or paying it forward by mentoring the next generation.
For Derek Sprague (‘88), JMU wasn’t just the starting point of his journey—it was the foundation that shaped his success. The groundwork he laid here not only prepared him for a thriving career in the professional golf industry but also shaped the way he rose through the ranks. Now, he’s the first person to serve the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) as a past president and CEO, proving that where you start can define where you go—if you make the most of it.
As a child who grew up on a course, Sprague’s passion for golf started early. “I grew up playing golf my entire life. My mother used to say a golf course was the safest playground in America,” he recalled. Pursuing his passion from an early age, Sprague worked at his hometown course in upstate New York, Malone Golf Club, prior to starting his college education. A few years later, when graduation began to approach, Sprague went back to his roots, explaining that he sent a business proposal to Malone Golf Club, requesting that they hire him back—but only if they let him run the entire club.
Sprague came to JMU after earning a golf scholarship and graduated with a B.B.A. in Marketing in just three and a half years, even with the combined responsibility of school work and golf-related events. “One of the most valuable skills I picked up at JMU was time management,” he said.
“Playing on the JMU golf team was really challenging from a time-management perspective because we would have qualifiers on Mondays and Tuesdays at Spotswood Country Club right there in Harrisonburg, and we wouldn't learn until after the qualifying rounds on Tuesday evening whether or not we would continue on,” Sprague said. But when he did excel in later rounds, he was in a van at 7 a.m. the next morning heading to the tournament.
In the 1980’s, there was no emailing professors to let them know you couldn’t attend class or that you’d be spending the next week golfing in the Carolinas, Sprague explained. So it was up to him to ensure all of his school work was completed on time, meaning that during those rides to tournaments, Sprague was in the backseat, pencil, paper and textbook in hand. “This would happen for six or seven weeks in a row.”
His hard work certainly paid off though; Malone Golf Club sent him an offer to run the club as general manager, which he happily accepted. “So I graduated in December of ‘88 and then started my career on January 1, 1989. I then worked there for the next 26 years and raised my family there,” said Sprague. While there, he quadrupled revenue and returned the company to profitability from near-bankruptcy, which was hailed as an extraordinary success for members and guests. This was the first stop of a long and prosperous career in professional golf.
Sprague became a PGA of America member in 1993, served as a board member from 2008 to 2010, was elected as an officer of the national body in 2010, then served as 39th president of the association from 2014 to 2016. In 2015, he was recruited by PGA Tour to run the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ, one of the most expensive golf clubs in the world at the time and one which boasts guests like celebrities, athletes and CEOs of Fortune 100 global companies.
In the fall of 2017, Liberty National Golf Club was hosting the President’s Cup when Sprague received a new offer. “They asked me to go down to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and run their flagship property, TPC Sawgrass, which hosts the marquee event for the PGA Tour, The Players Championship.” He accepted and spent seven years there, setting records for financial and operational performance. Now, Sprague is the CEO of PGA of America, leading the association from their headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
As someone who has been in a leadership role their entire career, there are a few important lessons Sprague picked up along that way that have further contributed to his success as a colleague, boss and leader.
