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Timeline: Ted Bishop's PGA presidency

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Nov. 10, 2012 – At its 96th annual meeting, the PGA of America elects Ted Bishop, who since 1991 has been general manager and director of golf at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin, Ind., a 45-hole complex that is home to the Indiana PGA Section and Indiana Golf Association, as its 38th president. As with all PGA presidents, his term is for two years.

Nov. 10, 2012 – At the same annual meeting, the PGA names Peter Bevacqua as its newest chief executive officer, replacing Joe Steranka, who is scheduled to retire at the end of the year.

Dec. 13, 2012 – Tom Watson is officially named captain of the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Watson, who previously captained the victorious 1993 U.S. team, says Bishop approached him about serving another term as captain 13 months ago. Bishop was so determined to have Watson return as captain, he produced an 85-page document detailing the reasons why the eight-time major champion should get a return engagement.

February 2013 – Bishop says he is “totally in concert” with the PGA Tour’s stance against the USGA and R&A’s proposed ban on anchoring putters. He also says many PGA of America members who originally supported the proposed ban now oppose it.

March 2013 – Bishop writes a column that says the proposed anchoring ban “has become one of the most divisive issues that modern-day golf has seen. The PGA of America feels that there is no logical reason to proceed with Rule 14-1b.” Bishop also states his belief that a ban would lead to bifurcation – pros and amateurs operating under two different sets of rules.

April 2013 – According to a story in Golf World, Bishop and R&A chief executive Peter Dawson have a testy exchange at the Masters over the proposed anchoring ban. Bishop says the PGA of America is standing up for the “best interests of the amateur golfer.” Dawson replies, “That’s not your role.” Later, when Bishop tells Dawson he hopes he doesn’t take their exchange personally, Dawson replies that “irreparable damage” had been done.

April 2013 – In an interview with Golf World senior writer and Golf Channel contributor Tim Rosaforte, Bishop criticizes the R&A’s male-only membership policy: “I find that to be very curious and perplexing given the fact that the R&A has not been inclusive as evidenced by their unwillingness to accept women as members to the R&A. This is a much different approach than we have taken in America.”

May 21, 2013 – The USGA and R&A formally announce a ban on the anchored stroke. Rule 14-1b is to take effect on Jan. 1, 2016, when the next edition of the Rules of Golf is published.

Oct. 22, 2013 – Bishop is inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame. Bishop is a native of Logansport, Ind., graduated from Purdue and began his career as a professional and superintendent at the Phil Harris Golf Course in Linton, Ind. From 1997-98, he served as president of the Indiana PGA section, and was the 1998 Indiana PGA Golf Professional of the Year.

Nov. 14, 2013 – Speaking on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive,” Bishop says he would like to see a PGA Championship played at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. He later explains that he was simply offering a “personal opinion” and not one necessarily as president of the PGA of America.

February 2014 – Bishop and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem make one final appeal to the USGA to consider a grandfather period that would allow recreational amateurs to continue using anchored clubs after 2016.

March 5, 2014 – The USGA rejects a grandfather period for anchoring.

March 12, 2014 – With trends continuing to show that Americans are playing less golf, the PGA of America announces it has created a 10-person task force to combat an overall decline in play through “non-traditional” means. Among the ideas offered by Bishop during an appearance on “Morning Drive” are “foot golf,” where players navigate the course by kicking a soccer ball toward a 21-inch hole, and introducing a “more relaxed set of rules” for recreational players. Bishop also proposes having a time clock in pro shops, where players who don’t have enough time to play nine or 18 holes could “punch in” and “punch out,” receiving a prorated greens fee based on the amount of time they spent on the course.

April 2014 – Speaking at a meeting of the Louisville Rotary Club, Bishop floats the idea of keeping the Ryder Cup matches at Valhalla Golf Club when they are contested in the U.S. every four years.

June 20, 2014 – Bishop announces that a long-drive contest for players, which had been an on-and-off part of PGA Championship week until 1985, when it became a separate event now known as the Remax World Long Drive Championship, will be brought back for this year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

July 22, 2014 – A report by ESPN.com says that more than 500 PGA professionals were let go after Dick’s Sporting Goods fired all of the full-time professionals in its golf sections.

July 29, 2014 – Bishop announces a two-year arrangement under which the boys’ and girls’ winners at the Junior PGA Championship will get exemptions into a PGA Tour and an LPGA event, respectively.

Sept. 13, 2014 – Rickie Fowler says Bishop apologized to him for the way the PGA Championship ended because of fading daylight, with eventual winner Rory McIlroy allowed to tee off on the final hole while Phil Mickelson and Fowler were still playing the hole.

Sept. 23, 2014 – Following the lead of Fowler, Bishop has “USA” shaved into the side of his head for the Ryder Cup.

Sept. 28, 2014 – At Gleneagles in Scotland, Europe hands the U.S. its eighth loss in the past 10 Ryder Cups, The final score is 16 1/2 to 11 1/2.

Oct. 14, 2014 – In response to much hand-wringing over yet another U.S. Ryder Cup loss, especially critical comments by Phil Mickelson during the post-match news conference, the PGA announces the creation of an 11-member task force that will examine the U.S. Ryder Cup process, from how captains and players are selected to the schedule of events and how the team prepares for the matches. The panel will include incoming PGA of America president Derek Sprague and CEO Pete Bevacqua, former Ryder Cup captains Raymond Floyd, Tom Lehman and Davis Love III, plus Tiger Woods and Mickelson. Paul Azinger, the only winning U.S. captain (2008) since 1999, declines an offer to join the group, but doesn’t rule out participating in the future. 

Oct. 23, 2014 – Bishop goes on social media and calls Ian Poulter a “Lil Girl” for Poulter’s cricical comments about Nick Faldo in Poulter’s recently released autobiography. Poulter, in a statement released exclusively to Golf Channel, calls Bishop’s remarks “shocking and disappointing. Is being called a “lil girl” meant to be derogatory or a put down?” Poulter tells Golf Channel. “That’s pretty shocking and disappointing, especially coming from the leader of the PGA of America. No further comment.”

Oct. 24, 2014 – The PGA of America announces it has removed Bishop from office “for insensitive gender-based statements posted yesterday on social media” and promotes Derek Sprague from vice president to interim president until Nov. 22, when the election of new national officers will take place at the PGA annual meeting. Bishop issues his own statement in which he apologizes for his remarks, explains why he refused to resign (“because I wanted to speak to our PGA Board of Directors, offer a personal apology and let the due process take place in this matter”), calls his ouster an “impeachment” and reveals that the PGA “has also informed me that I will not become the Honorary President nor will I ever be recognized as a Past President in our Association’s history.”

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Timeline: Poulter vs. Bishop

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2008 Ryder Cup – Paul Azinger’s U.S. team wins, 16 1/2 to 11 1/2, over Nick Faldo’s Europeans at Valhalla – only U.S. win since 1999. Sergio Garcia goes 0-2-2, including 5-and-4 singles loss to Anthony Kim. Its his worst record in six Ryder Cups.

Sept. 26, 2014 – During opening-day Ryder Cup telecast on Golf Channel, analyst Faldo says Garcia was “useless” and had “a bad attitude” during 2008 Ryder Cup.

Host Terry Gannon says that regardless of what Garcia has done on his own, he has been ”spectacular” during the Ryder Cup.

”Yes, apart from one,” Faldo replies.

When Gannon asks if that 2008 Ryder Cup still hurt, Faldo says: ”He was useless.” After some laughter, Faldo adds: ”Half a point, bad attitude. Anyway, we move on six years later.” (Garcia actually earned one point.)

Later that day, Garcia responds: “There’s a lot of things I could say about Nick Faldo, but I’m not going to put myself down to his level.”

2008 teammate Graeme McDowell points out that Faldo benched Garcia and Lee Westwood for the Saturday afternoon session. “I’d say Sergio was fairly useless that afternoon, yeah,” McDowell says, “because he wasn’t able to play. So, yeah, I agree.”

Sept. 26, 2014 – In an interview with The Associated Press, Faldo says Garcia had emotional and physical problems at Valhalla and even told Faldo he did not want to play.

Faldo says Garcia was emotionally down after breaking up with his girlfriend and told Faldo he didn’t want to play after the pairings already were in.

”He was always labeled as the man who brings emotion and passion. We didn’t have it that week,” Faldo tells the AP. ”That’s, in my opinion, how it looked and felt.”

Faldo says Garcia was ”down in the dumps” after Morgan Leigh Norman, the daughter of Greg Norman, had broken up with him.

”Friday morning, I’m going up the 10th hole with him,” he says. ”I just put my arm around him and said, ‘Are you good to go this afternoon?’ And he said, ‘Yes’ to me. Then I get him on the 18th green and he says, ‘I’m [expletive]. I don’t want to play anymore. I’ve been on antibiotics.’ I told him he was on the tee in 30 minutes.”

The pairings are submitted for the afternoon before the morning matches are over.

”That was the tone of Sergio for the whole week,” Faldo says. ”He wasn’t in it.”

Faldo says his choice of words – ”useless” – stems from reacting on live television.

”I agree that was harsh. Everybody immediately goes straight to him that ‘Faldo says you were useless’ when they don’t know the circumstances. It’s live television. It’s half tongue-in-cheek. It’s a throwaway line with no malice.”

Sept. 28, 2014 – At Gleneagles after Europe’s 16 1/2-to-11 1/2 Ryder Cup victory, Garcia is asked if he received a congratulatory message from Faldo.

“I have not, but I really wouldn’t expect it anyway,” Garcia says. “I’m an open mind, I’m always willing to forgive and forget. It was an unfortunate comment. I’ll move on.”

Oct. 19, 2014 – In his newly published autobiography, “No Limits,” Poulter says the European Ryder Cup team is furious with Faldo and many of the players have lost respect for him after he called Garcia “useless.”

“Sergio puts a brave face on it but the rest of the guys are fuming,” Poulter writes in the book, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. “I’m shocked that he has said it. It’s highly disrespectful. It’s a cheap shot and it’s the worst possible timing.

“It makes me laugh. Faldo is talking about someone being useless at the 2008 Ryder Cup. That’s the Ryder Cup where he was captain. That’s the Ryder Cup where the Europe team suffered a heavy defeat. And he was captain. So who’s useless?

“Faldo might need to have a little look in the mirror. I have always got on great with Faldo in the past and I have a great deal of respect for everything he has achieved but this feels like sour grapes. It feels like a guy who is still bitter that he lost in 2008.

“Faldo has lost a lot of respect from players because of what he said. There were plenty of things a lot of the players were unhappy with at Valhalla but none of us criticized him. He may find that begins to change now.”

Oct. 23, 2014 – On Facebook and Twitter, PGA of America president Ted Bishop criticizes Poulter for criticizing Faldo for criticizing Garcia.

Bishop tweets:

@IanJamesPoulter -Faldo’s record stands by itself. Six majors and all-time RC points. Yours vs. His? Lil Girl. @NickFaldo006 @pgaofamerica — Ted Bishop (@tedbishop38pga)

Bishop subsequently deletes the tweet

Bishop expands on his thoughts in a post to his personal Facebook page:

“Used to be athletes who had lesser records or accomplishments in a sport never criticized the icons. Tom Watson (8 majors and a 10-3-1 Ryder Cup record) and Nick Faldo (6 majors and all-time Ryder Cup points leader) get bashed by Ian James Poulter. Really? Sounds like a little school girl squealing during recess. C’MON MAN!”

Bishop later deletes the Facebook post, too.

Oct. 23, 2014: In a statement sent exclusively to Golf Channel, Poulter says:

“Is being called a “lil girl” meant to be derogatory or a put down? That’s pretty shocking and disappointing, especially coming from the leader of the PGA of America. No further comment.”

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