PGA TOUR names Todd Fleming of Legends as Executive Director of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches

Sports industry leader in premium experiential offerings and partnerships to shape new era of PGA TOUR golf in South Florida

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida – The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches today announced that Legends Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Todd Fleming, has been named the event’s Executive Director. Joie Chitwood, who has served as Interim Executive Director since November, will maintain his role through completion of the 2024 event.

The announcement comes just two months after the PGA TOUR named Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) as the new title sponsor of the long-running South Florida event, with the TOUR’s Championship Management division transitioning in as operator of the tournament.

“I am thrilled to be named Executive Director of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and look forward to leading one of the PGA TOUR’s premier events into a new era,” said Fleming. “For over 50 years, this tournament has been a cherished stop on the TOUR’s annual schedule, and with support from Cognizant, the Palm Beaches, and this tremendous fan base, I know we will build a championship this community can take immense pride in, as well as our players.”

After spending the first decade of his career on the team side of the business within the NBA and NFL, with marquee stops with the Miami Heat and Dallas Cowboys, Fleming brought his experience and expertise to the outsourced service provider and sales agency space by helping launch the sales and marketing services at Legends in 2010.

Fleming served as Vice President and General Manager for Legends through 2021, before ascending to Senior Vice President of Global Sales. During his tenure with Legends, he was tasked with developing new partnerships and engagements both domestically and internationally across Legends’ 360 suite of services. Fleming oversaw some of the industry’s most recognizable projects over the last decade such as Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas; Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain (Civitas Metropolitano); Legends engagement with A.S. Roma in Rome, Italy; and most recently the 2023 U.S. Open Championship at famed Los Angeles Country Club, helping reimagine and revolutionize the onsite premium hospitality experiences with the United States Golf Association.

“Todd’s track record at Legends speaks for itself, and we are excited to bring in a leader of his caliber to help guide the future of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches,” said Matt Rapp, the TOUR’s Senior Vice President of Championship Management. “His vast experience in establishing new partnerships across the sports landscape is perfect for our long-term goals in South Florida, as we look to create a best-in-class tournament atmosphere catered for our top PGA TOUR players, partners and fans.”

For more information on the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, please visit CognizantClassic.com. Fans are encouraged to follow the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches on Facebook, X and Instagram.