DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 9, 2023 – The LPGA announced today that Jody Brothers has joined the organization as its new Chief Business and Operations Officer of the Epson Tour. Brothers brings a wealth of golf industry knowledge within the business development, strategic partnerships and tournament operations sectors, having served in various leadership roles with the PGA Tour since 2007.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jody Brothers to the LPGA Executive Leadership Team as our Epson Tour Chief Business and Operations Officer,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “Jody’s extensive experience at every level of the golf industry coupled with his true passion for the professional developmental tours make him the ideal leader for continued growth of the Epson Tour.
In this newly defined role, Jody will oversee all aspects of the Tour, inside and outside the ropes. We are confident that under Jody’s leadership, we will maximize value for Seiko Epson Corporation and our committed partners and tournaments while offering our players with the best opportunity to reach their peak potential and realize their dream of playing on the LPGA Tour.”
Brothers will lead the Epson Tour team in annually operating more than 20 competitive events, building collaborative relationships with corporate and tournament partners to ensure the highest quality of each tournament, managing the dedicated Epson Tour staff and delivering a strong pipeline of talent for the LPGA Tour.
"After 16 years with the PGA Tour, I am very excited to join the LPGA team and spend the next part of my career working on the women’s side of the game,” said Brothers. “I believe deeply in the growth of the game of golf, particularly the promotion of women in our sport and the quest for equality amongst professional athletes. The Epson Tour provides opportunities for talented athletes from across the globe to compete and improve as they seek their ultimate dream of playing on the LPGA Tour and I can't describe how excited I am for the opportunity to lead this Tour."
“Seiko Epson Corporation is thrilled to welcome Jody to the Epson Tour team to share our global commitment to the LPGA and Epson Tour. We experienced a fantastic first year and look forward to increasing both visibility and value for this partnership in the years to come.” said Dan Murphy, Vice President of Marketing, Epson America Inc. “His appointment underscores the commitment to empower women and contribute to the careers of these exceptional individuals representing over 45 countries on the Epson Tour. We look forward to utilizing Jody’s experience to elevate the Epson Tour globally.”
Brothers spent nearly 16 years with the PGA Tour, most recently serving as Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Brothers led his team in identifying, pitching and negotiating multi-year title sponsorships and official marketing partnerships, navigating elements including league rights, television and digital media, player sponsorships, and investment in local tournament assets such as hospitality and on-site branding.
Having joined the PGA Tour in 2007 as the Director of Business Development at TPC San Antonio, Brothers continually worked his way up within the organization holding various roles, including General Manager of TPC Stonebrae and TPC Harding Park, Tournament Director of The Stonebrae Classic, Executive Director of The First Tee campaign for 10 Million Young People, Senior Director of Tournament Business Affairs on the Korn Ferry Tour and Vice President within the Office of the Commissioner.
Early in his career, Brothers founded and operated Uptown Golf Company in Dallas, where he conceptualized, funded, launched and ran all operations of the golf-related e-commerce sites JustGolfBags.com and e9.golf. Brothers successfully sold JustGolfBags.com in 2008.
An avid golfer, Brothers began his career in the industry as a Golf Professional at Butte Creek Country Club, Mount Shasta Resort and Canyon Oaks Country Club in Northern California, while playing as a professional on the Dakotas Tour, the Pepsi Tour and the Golden State Tour. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration - Marketing from California State University at Chico, where he played on the varsity golf team.
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