In the latest move, the PGA Tour has made a significant change to its leadership board. This is a decision stemming directly from the controversial fan behavior at the 2025 Ryder Cup.

The PGA Tour has confirmed that Don Rea, who was elected as the 44th President of the PGA of America in 2024 for a two-year term, is no longer on the board of either PGA Tour Inc. or PGA Tour Enterprises. Nathan Charnes, the PGA vice president and general manager at WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, has taken his place.

Rea hasn’t been the mouthpiece for the association in any of its recent press releases since the Ryder Cup. For instance, he attended the PGA Show in January, but in a scaled-down role. Instead, Charnes, general manager and director of golf at WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, has been quoted in press releases announcing the selection of Terry Clark as the PGA’s new CEO.

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak first reported the change. Geoff Shackelford of The Quadrilateral found that Rea’s name and photo had been removed from the Tour’s website. For a sitting PGA president to lose this role mid-term is believed to be unprecedented, but one can argue that PGA of America President Don Rea Jr. was removed from office after making waves at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

A minority of American fans had turned the week toxic—chanting “F— you, Rory” when Rory McIlroy‘s image appeared on screens, screaming mid-putt, and on Saturday near the 17th, throwing a beer that clipped Erica Stoll’s hat as she walked the course. McIlroy tried to confront the crowd directly and was physically held back by European security.

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Rea also went viral in a video that showed him doing karaoke on Saturday night while the U.S. side was getting pummeled. Anyways, his apology didn’t come without controversy.

His initial response was to compare the behavior to what you might hear at a youth soccer game, adding that McIlroy understands. He followed up the next day on LinkedIn, writing.

“I am not bothered. New level, new devil.”

Six days after the Cup ended, he sent a written apology to 31,000 PGA members. Rea later addressed a PGA annual meeting in Frisco, telling members he had not measured up to those standards.

Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley told reporters that golf’s custodians carry a responsibility to perpetuate its underlying values. Matt Fitzpatrick called Rea’s initial comments offensive to European fans.

The situation presents an obvious comparison to Ted Bishop, the 38th PGA president, who was impeached in 2014 for a sexist social media post just weeks before his term ended. But the more relevant example is Paul Levy in 2018. He was charged with a misdemeanor DUI and finished his term quietly, away from the spotlight. Rea’s term is set to end in November 2026.

Don Rea’s Ryder Cup fallout casts a shadow over the PGA of America’s road to Adare Manor

The board seat has always mattered. Since the 1960s split, the PGA of America has kept a seat at the table, a sign that both organizations are still tied together, even if they do not always agree. Now, that responsibility falls to Charnes, who is the acting president in all but name.

What this means for Adare Manor, the 2027 Ryder Cup venue in Ireland, is still unclear. No one in American golf has answered. Even before the Bethpage crowd left, McIlroy was already calling for better conduct in 2027. The U.S. team is heading to Ireland without a captain, after a quiet shake-up in leadership, and the scenes from Bethpage are still easy to find online.

The PGA has told Rea to focus on its members first.

Whether that is enough for the members or for the Europeans is another question.