Golf Canada names Kevin Blue new chief sport officer

Golf helped make Kevin Blue who he is today, so it’s only fitting that he returned to the sport that was so influential for him.

Blue was named the new chief sport officer for Golf Canada on Thursday. He moved to golf’s national governing body after five years as the athletic director for the University of California, Davis.

“I’m extraordinarily passionate about Canadian golf as Canadian golf is what’s given me so much in my life,” said Blue. “It’s an opportunity I’m really excited to take on, and something I couldn’t really pass up.”

Growing up in Toronto, Blue played in provincial and national amateur competitions and spent time with Golf Canada’s national junior team. He also represented Canada at the 2001 Junior Golf World Cup in Japan. 

He attended Stanford University on a varsity golf scholarship, where he earned his B.A. in psychology, was a captain on the golf team, and an NCAA Academic All-American. 

Blue then attended Michigan State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in sport psychology and then completed an executive education program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. 

After holding various leadership roles in Stanford’s athletics department, he moved on to UC Davis. 

Blue oversaw a US$41-million athletic department at UC Davis, featuring 25 collegiate teams. He led record-setting fundraising campaigns at UC Davis that supported coaching endowments, and athlete scholarships.

“I think the diversity of those experiences in the States at the NCAA Division 1 level hopefully has prepared me to work with everyone that’s involved with Golf Canada to keep moving our programs forward,” said Blue. 

The chief sport officer is responsible for key areas at Golf Canada, including membership, high-performance player development, as well as sport and junior programs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2020.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press