Former LPGA player Suzy Whaley has become the first woman officer in the PGA of America’s history.

The balloting all-but assures that Whaley, who was voted into a two-year term as secretary, will become the first president in the organisation’s history in 2018 as officers typically rotate into higher PGA roles.

Derek Sprague was elected president and Paul Levy was elected as vice pesident.

Each will serve in their post for the next two years, when Levy would typically rotate into the presidency and Whaley would move into the vice president’s role.

Each step requires another vote but typically the rotation approval is routine.

The PGA of America also announced the role of honorary president, which outgoing president’s serve for two years, will be retained by Allen Wronowski for two more years rather than passed along to Ted Bishop, who was outsed as the PGA of America president last month for a remark made in a Twitter posting.

Whaley, a golf coach, became the first woman to quailfy and play for a PGA event in 58 years when she took part in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open.