THE PLAYERS Championship recently named Tyler Oldenburg its 2025 tournament chairman. He succeeds Lee Nimnicht.
The tournament chairman oversees more than 2,000 volunteers who support all elements of The PGA TOUR’s flagship event.
In addition, Hamilton Neal has been named the newest vice-chair in the tournament’s volunteer leadership team, commonly called the Red and Blue Coats. The team manages the 48 committees responsible for the operations central to THE PLAYERS.
In addition to Oldenburg and Neal, the team consists of First Vice-Chair Marc Hassan and vice-chairs Kevin Copeland, Laura Renstrom and Luke Pritchett.
Oldenburg, a Jacksonville native, is in his 12th year as a volunteer. He has volunteered with several committees, including general parking, ecology, practice grounds, Patriots’ Outpost and benefactor hospitality.
He lives in Deerwood with his wife, Katelyn, and their three children.
Oldenburg is a shareholder at Marks Gray P.A., one of Jacksonville’s oldest law firms. He has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America (2024) and a Florida Super Lawyer (2023).
“I am so honored to work alongside the amazing volunteer team at THE PLAYERS and assume the position of 2025 chairman,” he said. “THE PLAYERS volunteers have become my extended family over the years, and their passion and dedication continually motivate me to always do my best. I hope to live up to the high standards set by Lee Nimnicht and all past chairpersons and am looking forward to a 2025 championship that is successful on the course and throughout the greater Northeast Florida community.”
Neal grew up in Central Kentucky and moved here in 2000.
Though he didn’t play golf at the time, he always loved the game, and a meeting with a member of the leadership team proved fortuitous. Told the tournament was looking for people to get involved in the community, Neal stepped up.
THE PLAYERS’ support for local charities appeals to Neal, who serves as vice president on the board of Investing in Kids (INK!), which supports teachers and students in St. Johns County, and sits on the YMCA Nocatee Board of Directors. A supporter of the arts, he has also served on the board for Florida Theatre.
As a member of the volunteer leadership team, he is discovering new ways to support area charities.
“I couldn’t do anything that touches more nonprofits than what we do for THE PLAYERS,” he said.
Neal is a financial planner with Bridgewater Wealth Advisors of Raymond James in Ponte Vedra Beach. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kentucky. He lives in Nocatee with wife Michelle and their four children.
This is Neal’s 16th year with THE PLAYERS.
“I started at Patriots’ Outpost as an assistant chair just fell in love with it,” he said.
He steps into his new role with knowledge about the committees he will oversee, as he has been a part of most of them over the years.
In his new role, Neal will oversee the volunteer services division, supervising apparel, credentials, concessions, office and volunteer personnel, photography, recognition, supplies, volunteer information, offsite shuttle and volunteer transportation.
He said it was “truly an honor” to be selected as a member of the volunteer leadership team.
“You dream about it early on in your volunteer years, and then when it happens, it’s humbling but it’s also just pretty unbelievable,” he said. “I don’t know if everybody feels the way that I feel, but volunteering at the tournament has meant so much to me and my family that being able to be in the top leadership — it’s pretty special.”
The 2025 PLAYERS Championship will be held March 11-16. Learn more at theplayers.com.
