Craig Kessler is the 10th LPGA commissioner, succeeding interim commissioner Liz Moore, who stepped into the role temporarily when Mollie Marcoux Samaan left the position in January 2025. But what is his background and career in business so far?
Here are 10 things to know about him.
Craig Kessler Facts
1. Craig Kessler earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
2. He has a strong business background. After graduating, he joined management consulting firm McKinsey & Company as a Business Analyst, leaving the role in 2010.
3. He was also CEO of Dallas-based Buff City Soap, which expanded from 100 to 260 locations after he took up the role.
4. Another former role he held was on the Dallas Mavericks Advisory Board.
5. He also has a golf-related business background, having previously been the CEO of the PGA of America.
6. Kessler was the COO and Head of Emerging Concepts at Topgolf between 2016 and 2021.
7. Kessler is on the boards of the National Golf Foundation and the UT Southwestern hospital system.
8. Like USGA CEO Mike Whan, he is a published author, having written a bestseller, The Dad Advice Project, which offers advice to new fathers.
9. He became the 10th LPGA CEO on May 22nd 2025, taking over from interim CEO Liz Moore.
10. He resides in Dallas with his wife, Nicole, and their three sons.
From |
San Diego, California |
|
Education |
Georgetown University, Harvard |
|
Notable Former Roles |
COO of PGA of America |
|
Current Role |
CEO of LPGA |
|
Resides |
Dallas |
