| TOUR VP George Burger dies of spinal meningitis PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The PGA TOUR Thursday confirmed that George B. Burger, TOUR Vice President for the FedExCup, has died from complications from the recent onset of bacterial spinal meningitis. Burger, 50, passed away Wednesday evening, Jan. 31, at UF & Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla. He had been hospitalized since Jan. 18. ![]() George B. Burger came to work for the TOUR in 2005.
"We are shocked and saddened by the loss of our partner and good friend," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "While everyone who knew George recognized his enthusiasm, commitment and terrific personality, it was the overall passion that he brought to everything he did that set him apart, whether it was with his family, friends or colleagues. George was a truly wonderful man and he will be sorely missed by all of us. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife, Patti, and their extended family." Burger joined the TOUR on Oct. 3, 2005 as Vice President-Special Projects, after serving for many years as a public relations strategist, political consultant and campaign manager. Prior to joining the TOUR, he had served as general manager of Edelman Public Relations in Washington, D.C. Although Mr. Burger joined the TOUR just over a year ago, he was long considered a part of the organization through his active involvement with The Presidents Cup since its inception in 1994. He was involved with the event as an active member of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, including a term as the club's president, and served as The Presidents Cup's general chairman and tournament director in 2005. As VP-Special Projects, Mr. Burger worked with most TOUR departments on a variety of matters and was charged with conducting an ongoing analysis of the strength of TOUR events in the areas of tournament revenue growth and fan/community relations. In November 2006, Mr. Burger was named vice president of the FedExCup, and was responsible for communicating with all PGA TOUR constituencies, including FedEx, on the overall management of the TOUR's newly developed FedExCup competition. In addition to his service to the PGA TOUR and The Presidents Cup, Mr. Burger was an active member of the Washington, D.C. community and the Catholic Church, where he served on the Board of Trustees of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Mr. Burger is survived by his wife, Patti. Funeral arrangements and details about memorial contributions are pending. In the interim, inquiries should be directed to the PGA TOUR Office of the Commissioner at 904-273-3200. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||