Former PGA chief executive Sandy Jones passes away

Sandy Jones, the former chief executive of The PGA and a well-known figure in Scottish golf circles, has passed away.

Sandy Jones started his association with The PGA when he was appointed as Scottish Region secretary in 1980. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Jones began his association with The Belfry-based organisation when he took up the post of Scottish Region secretary in 1980. He then moved south of the border to become its chief executive in 1991 and held that post for 25 years.

He was also former president of the Golf Foundation and a chairman of The Ryder Cup Trust. The PGA is the founding partner of the Ryder Cup and, as a board member, he played a pivotal role in developing it into one of the largest sporting events in the world, introducing a charitable arm enabling revenues from the Ryder Cup to develop the game.

In 2009 Jones was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham for outstanding services to sport and golf.

Robert Maxfield, chief executive of The PGA, said: “This is a very sad day for the association. Sandy led The PGA for more than 25 years, instigating significant change and improvement to the way the association was run.

“Through his work with the Ryder Cup, the PGA World Alliance and the PGAs of Europe, he was a significant figure in world golf as well in Great Britain and Ireland. He was respected and admired by many and the association owes him a huge debt of gratitude.”

Though he set up home in the Midlands after moving to The Belfry, Jones also had a house at Gleneagles, where he was proud to see the Ryder Cup staged in 2014.