LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – Mar. 1, 2026 – The United States Golf Association announced it has elected Kevin Hammer, of Boynton Beach, Fla., as its 68th president at the Association’s Annual Meeting in New York, N.Y. Hammer will serve a two-year term spearheading the USGA Executive Committee, the volunteer-led policy-making board that provides essential oversight and organization to the USGA’s full-time staff.
Hammer brings a lifetime of golf experience to the role. He grew up in a “golf house,” as the son of a PGA Tour and PGA of America professional and runner-up in the 1960 U.S. Junior Amateur. Hammer’s family home was a revolving door of players, golf course architects, caddies and golf club experts. He earned first-team American Junior Golf Association All-America honors, played collegiately at the University of Florida, and qualified for multiple USGA championships. Following his amateur career, he has brought his passion for the game to numerous leadership roles, notably serving on the USGA Executive Committee since 2022 and spending 10 years on the Florida State Golf Association Board of Directors, including two years as FSGA President from 2020-21.
“I am fortunate to have spent my entire life around the game I love,” said Hammer. “In that time, I’ve learned that golf has the unique ability to bring people together – from elite professionals to junior golfers, families and communities. As the 68th president of the USGA, my focus will be on preserving the true spirit of the competition, accessibility, and fun that defines golf and the people who make it worth playing.”
On the USGA Executive Committee, Hammer has concentrated on expanding the game and fostering the next generation of American golfers at every level of the sport. He chaired the USGA Championship Committee and served on the Compensation & Leadership Development, Governance, Investment, International Team Selection and Nominating Committees. During that time, he led a future site strategy to bring all 15 USGA championships to the finest venues in the country, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, Walker Cup, and Curtis Cup. He has also supported the U.S. National Development Program, which provides training, development, and funding for the country’s most talented junior players.
"Kevin brings a wealth of experience and a deep, lifelong respect for golf’s traditions, but he also possesses a forward-thinking mindset that is vital in this evolving landscape,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “He understands the challenges and the opportunities facing golf today, and I’m energized by the prospect of partnering with him over the next two years to keep driving our mission forward."
Professionally, Hammer has been with Merrill Lynch for more than 25 years. He currently serves as the managing director of the firm’s Rubin, Hammer, Eaton & Conrad Wealth Management Group, which manages investments for individuals, families, foundations and professional athletes.
He is joined by two new members on the Executive Committee, Brenda Corrie Kuehn of North Carolina and Suzy Whaley of Florida, each beginning a three-year term. Additionally, Leslie Henry of Texas, Bryan Lewis of Michigan, Michael McCarthy of California and Andy North of Wisconsin each begin their second three-year term on the Committee.
They all will serve on the Executive Committee alongside Andrew Biggadike of New Jersey; Dianne Dixon of Florida; David Dorton of Georgia; Virginia C. Drosos of Texas; Sinclair Eaddy Jr., of Maryland; Cathy Engelbert of New Jersey; Jim Gorrie of Alabama; and David Leitch of Virginia.
Kuehn and Whaley assume seats vacated by Fred Perpall, of Texas, whose term as USGA president concluded yesterday, and Courtney Myhrum, of Pennsylvania, who retired after consecutive three-year terms on the Executive Committee.
Now available is the USGA’s 2025 Annual Report, which was released at the meeting and can be found here.
Content from the 2026 Annual Meeting can be accessed here, which includes all who were elected and recognized, including annual USGA award recipients Ellen Port, of Missouri (Bob Jones Award in honor of her sportsmanship, character and lifelong contributions to the game), Jerry Lemieux, of Ohio (Joe Dey Award recognizing exemplary service as a volunteer), Paul R. Latshaw, of Pennsylvania, (USGA Green Section Award honoring a career that set new standards for the superintendent profession) and Stephen Proctor (Herbert Warren Wind Award “Matchless: Joyce Wethered, Glenna Collett and the Rise of Women’s Golf,” in recognition of notable achievement in golf literature).
About the USGA
The USGA is a mission-based golf organization whose purpose is to unify the golf community through handicapping and grassroots programs; to showcase the game’s best talent through the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally and 13 other national championships and our museum; to provide unbiased global governance with The R&A through the playing, equipment and Amateur Status rules; and to advance issues important to golf’s future, with a focus on driving sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. The USGA also manages day-to-day operations for the U.S. National Development Program, the country's first unified pathway for American talent, and the World Golf Hall of Fame, preserving and celebrating the legacies of the game’s greatest figures. As a nonprofit association, our work and our team are driven to act for the good of the game. For more, visit usga.org.