St. Andrews, United Kingdom (SportsNetwork.com) - Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews chief executive and secretary Peter Dawson announced Tuesday he will retire in September of 2015.
Dawson succeeded Sir Michael Bonallack as secretary of the R&A in 1999 and has held the position since.
He was also named the joint secretary of the International Golf Federation in 1999 and became president of the IGF in 2010. He was one of the driving forces in golf returning to the Olympics in 2016.
The IGF has extended his term in office to 2016.
Under Dawson, the R&A formed separate groups to run the Open Championship and conduct its governance responsibilities. This allowed the organization to also focus on developing the sport of golf around the world through its 152 affiliated organizations from the amateur and professional game in 138 countries along with the United States Golf Association.
The R&A will search for Dawson's successor through international executive search firm Spencer Stuart and will make the appointment in sufficient time to allow for appropriate handover period in 2015.
[SportsNetwork.com]
