LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 5, 2024) – Terry Francona, who managed Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles and guided the Cleveland Indians to an American League pennant, has been named honorary chair of the 44th U.S. Senior Open Championship. The United States Golf Association (USGA) will conduct the U.S. Senior Open at Newport (R.I.) Country Club from June 26-30.

“As an avid golfer myself, I am honored to be selected as the honorary chair of this year’s U.S. Senior Open,” said Francona. “When I retired from baseball, one of the things that excited me the most was the opportunity to get on the golf course as often as possible. I’ve been a fan of the sport my whole life and have been lucky enough to form relationships with some of the players on the [PGA] Champions Tour. It will be nice to see some familiar faces while participating in this prestigious event.

“Having spent many happy and successful years in Boston, I know how much the New England community is golf crazy, particularly in the summer. I appreciate the revered place Newport Country Club holds in the history of golf as well as the beauty of the city of Newport.”

Francona, a three-time American League Manager of the Year (2013, 2016, 2022), guided the Red Sox to World Series titles when they swept both the St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies in four games in 2004 and 2007, respectively. In that first run to the championship, the Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to rally from an 0-3 deficit in a seven-game series, defeating the rival New York Yankees for the American League Championship. Boston made five playoff appearances in his eight seasons with the organization.

In his 11 seasons with Cleveland, Francona guided his teams to four AL Central Division titles, six playoff appearances and the 2016 World Series, losing a memorable seven-game series to the Chicago Cubs. His managing career began in the Gulf Coast League in the early 1990s, and he worked his way through Class A and AA at the minor-league level before being hired as the Detroit Tigers’ third-base coach. His first MLB managerial stop was with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1997-2000. During his time in Class AA, he led the Birmingham Barons to the 1993 Southern League title and was Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan’s manager the following year.

Francona, who recorded 1,950 victories in 23 seasons as an MLB manager, was selected by the Montreal Expos in the first round of the 1980 MLB Draft following an outstanding collegiate playing career at the University of Arizona, where he helped the Wildcats claim the 1980 College World Series title and was named that year’s Golden Spikes Award recipient for being the top collegiate player. Nicknamed “Tito,” he played for five big-league teams over a nine-year period as an outfielder and first baseman.

“Terry Francona is one of the most accomplished managers in Major League Baseball history and an avid golfer who is a regular participant in charity events,” said Hank Thompson, senior director, U.S. Senior Open Championship. “He will be an excellent ambassador for the U.S. Senior Open and help bring together Rhode Island and the New England region around this coveted national championship.”

In his role, Francona will support the fifth USGA championship to be held at Newport Country Club and the first since 2006. The club is one of the five founding members of the USGA, which was formed on Dec. 22, 1894, and was the site of the inaugural U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open championships in 1895.

Tickets for the 44th U.S. Senior  Open Championship at Newport Country Club are now on sale and available for purchase at this TICKET LINK.

The U.S. Senior Open Championship (ussenioropen.com) is for golfers 50 and older and is open to any professional and any amateur with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4. Major champions Bernhard Langer (2023), Padraig Harrington (2022) and Jim Furyk (2021) have won the previous three championships.

About the U.S. Senior Open

The 44th U.S. Senior Open, conducted by the United States Golf Association, will be held June 26-30, 2024, at Newport (R.I.) Country Club, and will feature a field of 156 of the world’s best professional and amateur senior golfers (over the age of 50). Players who are eligible to compete include Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen, Stewart Cink, Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker. This U.S. Senior Open will be the fifth USGA championship held at Newport Country Club. NBCUniversal will provide live broadcast coverage of all four rounds of the championship.

About the USGA
The USGA is a mission-based golf organization whose purpose is to unify the golf community through handicapping and grassroots programs; to showcase the game’s best talent through the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally and 13 other national championships and our museum; to provide unbiased global governance with The R&A through the playing, equipment and Amateur Status rules; and to advance issues important to golf’s future, with a focus on driving sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. As a nonprofit association, our work and our team are driven to act for the good of the game. For more, visit usga.org.