Mike Whan is an adventurous pick for an organization that has perpetually limited itself to cultural and intellectual inbreeding and a bent to internal stasis .
Mike is a personable, bright, high-energy guy who pours his heart and soul into his job. His style mixes a strong dose of humility and self-deprecation with a stern focus on the goal(s) at hand. He's near universally loved and respected by all the active, and past, LPGA players...and for good reason. His tireless advocacy for that tour worked on so many fronts. It's little stretch to believe he might be the best recent professional sports commissioner, period.
All of the above would suggest it was a killer pick for the USGA, but the inherent provincialist nature of that organization may well prove too frustrating for a guy like Whan. I hope I'm wrong, and time will tell, but the USGA may well have taken the right QB for the wrong team. We'll see.