PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — There's a new sheriff in town at THE PLAYERS.
Today, Lee Smith was named THE PLAYERS new executive director after former executive director Jared Rice got promoted to a new role with the Tour.
Smith, who has worked as the general manager at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey for the last five years, has spent 20 years working at various TPC courses around the country in management roles and as a head golf professional.
He said the goal is to make THE PLAYERS not just the best experience in golf but the best experience in sports and entertainment.
"The best thing that I can do is really embed myself in the Jacksonville community and listen to the desires of our fans and our spectators, our stakeholders, our volunteers, our players, our partners. All of those types of things as to what are the incremental changes that we can make to make it better every year," Smith said.
Smith is set to begin his new role as THE PLAYERS executive director in June.