GBR Weekly | Monahan’s Update, New PGA Tour CMO, Yang Wins KPMG Women's PGA and Scheffler Breaks Tiger's Record
We also bring you Major Changes in PGA Tour's 2025 Tournament Schedule, KPMG-T-Mobile Partnership, Olesen's Amateur Triumph, and More in Our Weekly Industry Newsletter
Hello GBR Community!
Our dedicated team of writers has been diligently reviewing over 40 industry publications and hundreds of social media accounts, more than 25 mainstream media sources, a variety of golf newsletters, and a curated selection of top-notch podcasts. We've distilled this wealth of information into a comprehensive summary, ensuring you stay updated on last week's events quickly and effortlessly.
Stay with us until the end to enhance your knowledge with the latest insights:
Monahan’s Latest Briefing About LIV Negociations.
PGA Tour Names New Head of Marketing and Communications.
New Partnerships Announced with KPMG and T-Mobile for Women’s PGA.
A Decade of KPMG’s Sponsorship of the Women’s PGA Championship.
Scheffler Continues being Scottie.
Yang Wins Her First Major at KPMG Women’s PGA.
Olesen Triumphs at the Amateur Championship.
Major Changes in PGA Tour's 2025 Tournament Schedule.
Pro Shop Holdings Transforms Golf Culture with Sugarloaf Acquisition.
Tiger´s TMRW Sports Raises $500M to Innovate Golf with TGL Launch
And much more.
Let's dive in!
Monahan’s Latest Update
A couple of weeks ago, a post appeared on X (formerly Twitter) that generated considerable interest. Prominent journalist Alan Shipnuck posted on 11th June:
Was it true, had a deal been signed, was the war over?
The latest update from Jay Monahan on the eve of the Traveler’s Championship quashed the rumour completely. Nothing has changed, and negotiations are still ongoing. What Monahan did tell us during his time ahead of the Travelers Championship is:
Regular dialogue is ongoing via conference calls.
Progress is being made in certain areas that work towards the final agreement, while areas that still require work have been identified.
Monahan reiterated that an agreement can’t be finalised until everybody agrees on the right outcome for the players, the fans, and the game of golf.
The original timescale for a deal being completed was penciled for the end of 2023, but as we move to the halfway point of 2024, we can take from Monahan’s latest press conference that we are no closer to a deal. While conjecture runs rife on the reasons why no agreement has been reached, Monahan attributes the glacial pace of progress to the complexity of the negotiations.
PGA Tour Appoints New Chief Of Marketing And Communications
The PGA Tour has announced that Andy Weitz will be the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Executive Vice President of Investor Relations for the tour's global operations.
Weitz’s responsibilities when he officially begins the role in August are twofold:
Position the PGA TOUR brand for current and future investments and communicate its global strategy and performance.
Oversee marketing and communications and take on a newly created investor relations role for PGA TOUR Enterprises.
The investor relations role will see Weitz working on the messaging and communications strategy for PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm of PGA Tour INC, founded earlier this year.
In January, PGA TOUR Enterprises received an initial investment of $1.5 billion from Strategic Sports Group (SSG), with the potential for up to $3 billion. This allows the PGA Tour to make strategic investments to enhance the players' and fans' experiences.
PGA TOUR Enterprises also laid the foundation for launching the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, the first of its kind in professional sport. The Player Equity Program gives PGA Tour members a financial stake in the commercial growth.
Weitz joins the C-Suite of the PGA Tour after ten years as Aon’s Chief Marketing Officer. During his time with Aon, Weitz oversaw Aon becoming an official marketing partner with the PGA Tour, which saw the following initiative established:
Aon Risk Reward Challenge on both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour
Worldwide partner for the Ryder Cup
Nicklaus/Jacklin award for the player who demonstrates the best spirit of the Ryder Cup
“As our business continues to evolve and grow, Andy will be an invaluable addition to the PGA TOUR given his experience as a trusted advisor to many of the world’s largest and most influential companies,” - Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner
“I’ve seen the power of the PGA TOUR brand firsthand, as both a fan and a partner, and am truly excited to play a role in growing its global impact at this transformative moment,” - Andy Weitz
Collaboration Deals Announced With KPMG and T-Mobile For The Women’s PGA Championship.
On the eve of this year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club, longtime partner KPMG teamed up with T-Mobile and the PGA of America to drive technology innovation in the women’s game.
The concept is similar to what we witnessed at the PGA Championship last month at Valhalla. New initiatives were established to enhance the players', fans', and media’s experience at the major.
For the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, fans were able to enjoy the following:
1. KPMG Champcast presented by T-Mobile
Using the same cutting-edge ShotLink Pro 2.0 technology shared with the PGA Tour, fans could get even greater insight and stay closer to the action via:
3D imagery
Radar data
Shot trails
Green views
Individual shot highlights
The Women’s PGA Championship was the first PGA of America event to use the KPMG Champcast presented by T-Mobile. It could be accessed online or through the championship’s new-look app, available on iOS or Android platforms.
To capture such a precise digital version of Sahalee Country Club, the ShotLink team captured high-resolution drone imagery covering every blade of grass on each hole, amounting to 47GB of mapped data. This data was used to create spectacular digital imagery of the course.
2. KPMG Performance Insights
First introduced in 2021, KPMG Performance Insights tracks data and analytics, such as strokes gained on every player in the field. For the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, KPMG Performance Insights also connected to ShotLink 2.0 to allow data to be updated in real-time.
Players competing in the championship could access their data through a personalised dashboard. This allows them to analyse their data in real time post-round and compare their championship data against historic data held in the system.
These enhancements were all underpinned by T-Mobile’s 5G technology, which was onsite throughout the week and delivered data on nearly 24,000 shots played by the 156 competitors in the field at Sahalee Country Club.
What players, fans, and the media experienced that week will inform the PGA of America’s plans for further digital integration opportunities at future championships.
Yang Captures Her First Major At KPMG Women’s PGA
In her 75th start in a major, Amy Yang held firm to claim the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club.
Yang’s final round came to life when she chipped in for birdie on the 5th before making another birdie on the hardest hole on the course, the par four 8th.
That birdie gave her some breathing space, and after adding more birdies on the 11th and 13th, Yang held a seven-shot lead.
Yang offered some hope to the competition with an untidy three-putt bogey at the 16th, followed by an ungainly double-bogey at the 17th, cutting her lead to three, but she managed to compose herself and made a par at the last to win her first major.
"I always want to win a major and I came close several times, and I started doubting myself if I ever going to win a major before I retire because I've been or tour quite a while. I am so grateful and very, very happy to win a major." - Amy Yang.
Celebrating 10 Years Of KPMG’s Sponsorship Of The Women’s PGA Championship
Charting the key achievements of KPMG’s sponsorship would included:
Increase of prize funds from $2.25 million in 2014 to $10.4 million for the 2024 edition, a 360% increase.
The standard of the courses visited has improved. The Women’s PGA Championship has visited venues such as Westchester Country Club, Hazeltine National, Congressional Country Club, and Baltusrol Country Club.
Improved television coverage. 73% increase in coverage from the 2015 to 2024 Championships
When KPMG was announced as the title sponsor for the Women’s PGA Championship in 2014, the Golf Channel had 13 hours of live coverage throughout the week. The 2024 installment included 62 hours of live play, representing a 376% increase in coverage. Callaway also sponsored the final hour of advert-free coverage, allowing fans to watch the final crucial shots of the championship uninterrupted.
The Scheffler Show Roles On
Scottie Scheffler claimed victory number six of his stellar 2024 season, capturing the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands after a playoff victory over Tom Kim.
Scheffler has now accomplished something that Tiger Woods could not achieve at the peak of his powers: six wins before July. For the record, only one other player ever achieved six victories before July: Arnold Palmer in 1962.
Kim made a dramatic birdie at the last in regulation, calmly rolling in a 10-foot putt after climate protestors invaded the green and being swiftly apprehended by the local police.
Both players hit good tee shots up the 18th again in their first playoff hole. Scheffler knocked his approach to 12 feet, while Kim came up short in the greenside bunker and failed to get up and down. Scheffler took his two putts to claim victory.
Scheffler has now recorded $27.7 million in earnings this year, a staggering $15 million ahead of his nearest challenger, Xander Schauffele.
"It has been a great season, I've been fortunate to come away with some wins and it has been a lot of fun. Tom played his heart out today. He's a great player, great champion and it was fun battling with him today." - Scottie Scheffler.
Olesen Wins The Amateur Championship
Jacob Skov Olesen became the first Danish golfer to win the 129th Amateur Championship played at Ballylifin Golf Club, County Donegal, Northern Ireland.
25-year-old Oleson claimed a 4&3 victory over Englishman Dominic Clemons in the 36-hole final, guarantees Olesen’s place at the 152nd Open Championship at Troon next month and an invite to the 2025 Masters Tournament.
"It's what you dream of since you were a kid, to get to play those and play those courses and play against those fields. It's really cool." - Jacob Skov Olesen.
PGA Tour's 2025 Tournament Overhaul: Key Changes and Impact
The world of professional golf is no stranger to change, but the PGA Tour's recent overhaul in its tournament business model is causing ripples across the industry.
According to Josh Carpenter from Sports Business Journal, the PGA Tour's new tournament business model, set to begin in 2025, mandates higher fees to offset rising costs. The phased plan requires escalating payments, starting at $125,000 for FedEx Cup fall events and doubling by 2026, alongside a revenue-sharing model that increases from 1% in 2025 to 2% by 2027.
Initially met with resistance, acceptance is growing among tournament directors. Jon Drago of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson is adapting by integrating the new fees into their business model. Sponsorship dynamics are also changing, with the RBC Heritage facing uncertainty pending broader negotiations involving the tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Despite challenges, Steve Wilmot, the event's director, is optimistic about securing a new deal with RBC. The PGA Tour is enhancing support through its National Sales and Service Department, providing additional sales personnel to help tournaments like the Farmers Insurance Open boost revenue streams.
PGA Tour's 2025 Tournament Overhaul: Key Changes and Impact
Pro Shop Holdings, a boutique golf and culture company founded by Chad Mumm and Joe Purzycki, has completed its Series A funding round and acquired the apparel brand Sugarloaf Social Club.
The company aims to blend golf with cultural elements, leveraging its strategic partnership with the PGA Tour to expand Sugarloaf's reach through on-site activations and collaborations.
This initiative, along with the planned relaunch of the PGA Tour’s digital media platform Skratch and other studio projects, highlights Pro Shop's commitment to redefining golf’s cultural landscape and supporting the growth of Sugarloaf’s brand and community.
Tiger´s TMRW Sports Secures $500M to Revolutionize Golf with TGL Debut
TMRW Sports, co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has completed a Series A funding round valuing the company at $500 million, led by Dynasty Equity Partners and Connect Ventures. This funding will support TMRW’s expansion into new formats, leagues, and media properties, with its flagship project, TGL, set to debut in January 2025.
TGL will feature tech-driven team golf gameplay, including simulator screens and a customizable short game area, aiming to revolutionize golf with unique elements like a shot clock and mic’d up players. Despite a delay due to infrastructure issues, TMRW is poised to make a significant impact, backed by a strong roster of investors including sports team owners and star athletes.
The Short Game
Disclaimer: We need to be 100% accurate here. The PGA Tour premiered drone tracer technology for the first time at the Travelers Championship. Tom Kim’s tee shot on the 6th hole during the third round was the tee shot chosen for the premiere of shot drone technology. Frank Nobilo stated that it was the first time drone tracer technology had ever been used, but LIV has been using the technology since last October.
Jon Rahm is one player who we know is not a fan of drone tracer technology. During his final round of the LIV Nashville event on Sunday, he used expletive-laden language to attack a drone circling close by that he felt was the distractive cause of a pull left into the water.
Victoria Golf Club, Canada’s oldest and most historic golf club, has enlisted the services of UK course architecture specialists Mackenzie and Ebert to draw up a master plan to renovate the course. Mackenzie and Ebert were chosen for their impressive portfolio of courses they have already worked on, encompassing 22 of the top 100 rated courses in the US and 8 Open Championship venues.
Elevate Golf has announced a new invitation only event for high-end golf tourism to be held at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews, from 27th-31st October. The event is designed to create strong B2B networking and already has big industry representatives such as Perry Golf, Premier Golf, Haversham and Baker, Links Golf St Andrews, Hidden Links, Pioneer Golf and Carr Golf.
…and Finally, What We Are Reading
College golf in the US is huge, and in recent years, universities have been spending money on improving their facilities for their top golf athletes. GBR’s admired Jared Doerfler of the Perfect Putt newsletter provides us with a great breakdown of just how much universities are investing in their golf facilities
Abraham Madkour, Executive Editor of SportsBusiness Journal, reviews Hughes Norton's book "Rainmaker," which recounts the former IMG agent's career in golf. Norton shares experiences with notable figures like Mark McCormack, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods. After being fired by Woods and leaving IMG, Norton reflects on his journey and personal growth.
That´s all for today, friends.
Stay safe!!!!