Alex Burge
A relationship-driven agent
Behind every professional golfer there is an agent negotiating business deals, providing career advice, managing their brand and more. For players such as Harry Hall, Nick Dunlap and Alex Fitzpatrick, that agent is Alex Burge.
“I’ve always viewed [being an agent] as relationship-driven, similar to golf,” Burge said. “Building relationships, meeting people and spending time with people is a passion of mine.”
Burge, 33, has been a sports agent for Excel Sports Management since 2016. A former collegiate golfer with a degree in business management, Burge says his job is perfect for him.
“I certainly feel like I’ve landed in a career path that combines those two passions of sports and business and in a pretty perfect way,” Burge said.
Burge grew up in a tennis family. His dad played professionally but when his knees went bad, he made the switch to golf. Burge joined him and quickly fell in love with the game.
“It’s such a great way to build friendships and relationships and just spend really good time with people,” he said.
Burge attended the University of Illinois, where he studied business and played on the golf team with future PGA Tour winners Thomas Detry, Nick Hardy and Brian Campbell. Realizing that the tour-pro life wasn’t for him, he focused on his other love: business.
“Whether that’s a lawn-mowing service back home when you’re in junior high or whatever, [business has] always been interesting,” Burge said.
As he reached the end of his college career, Burge asked Mike Small, Illinois’ golf coach, to put him in contact with people in the golf world.
“One of those was my current boss, Mark Steinberg, who is arguably one of the greatest sports agents of all time, regardless of sports,” Burge said.
Steinberg is a partner at Excel Sports Management and has managed Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar and others. After hitting it off with Steinberg, Burge started full time at Excel in 2016.
“I certainly feel like I’ve landed in a career path that combines those two passions of sports and business and in a pretty perfect way.”
While there are many qualities that make a good agent, Burge says one of the most important is being a good communicator.
“It’s really important to figure out and learn what’s important to other people to be able to help lift them up, whether it’s a client or a brand,” he said.
Burge says honesty is also crucial.
“I think people can pretty easily tell if you do things the right way and I think that’s an important thing in business and in life,” Burge said.
Every athlete has goals, and Burge says seeing his players accomplish them is an amazing feeling. As an agent, he’ll do whatever he can to help them get there.
“It’s a massive honor to be able to play a small role in helping them achieve those [goals],” he said.
Everett Munez
Top: Alex Burge (right) with two-time PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap
