Andrew George is leaving the tournament formerly known as the Honda Classic after 15 years, including serving as the executive director in 2023.
George is joining TMRW Sports and TGL, the new golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, as a senior vice president. But he is excited about the future of the golf tournament he once headed that will have Cognizant as a new title sponsor and be operated by PGA Tour’s Championship Management division.
“New title is going to infuse some additional excitement,” said George, who could have remained with the tournament as executive director. “They got a long list of ideas to elevate the event. As I was looking where they want to take this I was getting excited for the different opportunities.”
George, though, is looking forward to “the chance to get on the ground floor and build something again.”
He will oversee live events and operations for TMRW Sports, including the TGL, which will be played on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens. TGL’s launch has been delayed one year to January 2025 after the venue’s roof collapsed two weeks ago.
“The planning doesn’t slow down,” George said. “I was going to make a lot of quick decisions (for the planned Jan. 9, 2024, opening). Now we’ve got the time to take a pause and make sure we’re doing it not just the most efficient way but the best way.
“We’ll use every day between now and 2025 to make sure we get everything right.”
George’s role for TMRW Sports is similar to his duties as the executive director of the PGA Tour event that takes place about five miles west of where TGL will be held.
One major difference will be managing an event with a much smaller capacity that is staged one day a week over 15 weeks instead of one week a year.
“I’m excited about having a chance to look at every week to tweak and get better all the things that we’re putting together on-site versus having a four-day event and having a whole year to think and stew about it,” he said.
Changes to the former Honda Classic, including the name, are expected to be announced soon. But one thing that will not change is the venue, which will remain at PGA National with the start of a new five-year contract in 2024.
“The main thing for me, keeping this event in South Florida and Palm Beach County was always priority number one,” George said. “Knowing that’s in place … that was always the focus point.”
The event is scheduled for Feb. 29-March 3. Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation will remain the primary charitable beneficiary, which it has been since 2007.
George was elevated to executive director of the Honda Classic in May 2022, replacing Ken Kennerly, who held that title since the tournament’s move to PGA National in 2007.
George joined the Honda Classic as an intern in 2009, coming to work for the tournament after earning a master’s degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He had experience in several areas while working for Honda, including helping start the Birdies for Children program, working as director of corporate sponsorships and director of operations before becoming tournament director and then executive director.
“It was the perfect storm of opportunity to make a move down the street,” George said about the move.