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USA Today
04-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
PGA Tour Champions California event needs a new sponsor
PGA Tour Champions California event needs a new sponsor Show Caption Hide Caption History of the Galleri Classic golf tournament on PGA Tour Champions schedule The Galleri Classic is a spring event on the PGA Tour Champions golf schedule The PGA Tour Champions tournament in the Coachella Valley is searching for a new title sponsor after Grail opted out of its contract. Grail, a healthcare company, ended its sponsorship after three years of an eight-year deal with an opt-out clause. Tournament organizers are actively seeking a new sponsor, with a goal of securing one before July 1 to allow for ample planning time. The tournament is considered a valuable opportunity for sponsors due to its strong field of players, attractive pro-am events, and location in a popular destination. Players have expressed their desire for the tournament to continue in the Coachella Valley, praising the course and the tournament's overall experience. (This story has been updated with new information) The PGA Tour Champions tournament in the Coachella Valley seems to have almost everything a tournament needs for success: A popular destination, the support of the players on the senior golf tour and a course that those golfers love. What the tournament doesn't have, at least as of this week, is a title sponsor. Just days after the Galleri Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino completed its third year at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, tour and tournament officials say they are looking for a new sponsor to replace Grail, the healthcare company that is opting out of its contract with the tournament. 'We are very hopeful,' said Michelle DeLancy, the tournament director of the desert PGA Tour Champions event, which is operated by media and sports company Wasserman. 'The tour, the players and the current sponsors that we have really would love to see us be able to continue in the area, so we are hopeful that we land that right sponsorship to be able to do that." The departure of Grail, which developed the multicancer detection blood test called Galleri, was announced to the players in a meeting last week with Miller Brady, the president of the PGA Tour Champions. Both DeLancy and Brady thanked Grail for the sponsorship that brought the PGA Tour Champions back to the Coachella Valley after a 30-year absence. More: At long last: Steve Allan earns first pro golf win in more than two decades at Galleri Classic 'When we announced this tournament three years ago, we were ecstatic to have the Champions Tour return to the Coachella Valley, a region that carries a rich golf tradition,' Brady said in a statement. 'Over the past three seasons, this tournament has seen legends of the game competing at the historic Mission Hills Country Club, all while making an impact in the community. As we look towards the future, it's our goal to remain in this region, as we are actively in the process of identifying and securing a new title sponsor for 2026 and beyond.' Grail originally signed an eight-year deal with the event, but the contract had opt-out clauses that Grail activated to depart after three years. Grail began trading on the NASDAQ last June after issuing an initial public offering. 'The Galleri Classic also provided an important platform to educate and inspire players, fans, and residents of this community about the importance of early cancer detection, while supporting six local organizations that do important work for cancer patients and their families,' said Bob Ragusa, the chief executive officer of Grail, in a separate statement. 'We look forward to seeing the Champions Tour return to this community for many years to come.' Finding that new sponsor willing to spend millions of dollars for the event is now the focus of tournament organizers, with DeLancy saying the event would like to have a new sponsor in place before July 1. 'That gives the sponsor time to get their company ready and start to put the pieces of the puzzle together,' DeLancy said. 'With a new title comes a lot of planning for their company as well as us being able to set up new marketing and on-course signage and that kind of thing to prepare in the next 10 months or so to get it ready for late March or early April of 2026.' Talking to potential sponsors DeLancy said the PGA Tour and Wasserman are already talking to potential sponsors, knowing that the right sponsor might be outside of the Coachella Valley. The desert doesn't have the corporate base that larger cities have, and sponsors of large sports events in the desert like The American Express PGA Tour event or the BNP Paribas Open tennis event are from outside the area. Unlike the PGA Tour event in the desert, which played for three years starting in 2009 without a title sponsor after Chrysler left the event in 2008, the desert's senior PGA Tour event must have a title sponsor to make a 2026 event possible. After five decades in the desert, the PGA Tour event known as the Bob Hope Classic had millions of dollars in reserve to make up for lost sponsorship money, but needed sponsorship from Humana to make the 2012 event possible. 'Working with the business development team at the PGA Tour and the relationships they have and the same with Wasserman and the business relationship that we have as well as reaching out to companies that we think could be a good fit or we want to see if they have an interest in it,' DeLancy said. 'I'm also connected with a lot of players that have relationships with top companies or top people in those companies that have reached out to see the interest level there.' One of the top selling points for the desert's senior PGA Tour event is the traditionally strong field that shows up annually. Seven World Golf Hall of Famers competed last week for a $2.2 million purse with $330,000 going to winner Steven Allan. Two of the tour's top players were missing last week, including Steve Stricker with a bad back and Padraig Harrington. The tournament also features two one-day pro-ams that can be attractive for a corporation, although DeLancy admits the tournament has struggled selling the opportunity to individual golfers in the desert rather that corporate buyers. 'The pro-am is a big selling point. The pro-am and the entertainment feature, hosting here in this beautiful area we live in, playing golf with these legends of the game, them being able to do events like AmEx does,' DeLancy said. 'They come in and host a bunch of people and have them play in the pro-am and have dinners and client dinners and that kind of thing. I think that's definitely the opportunity we have here.' The Galleri Classic was first played at Mission Hills Country Club in March of 2023, just one year after the LPGA left Rancho Mirage after a 51-year run with its first major championship of the season. It also marked the return of an official PGA Tour Champions event to the desert for the first time since the Gulfstream Aerospace Invitational, played at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells from 1984-92 and at the Indian Wells Golf Resort in 1993. The Legends of Golf team event was played at PGA West in La Quinta from 1995 through 1997, but was an unofficial event. Since the seniors returned to the desert, players have been generous with their comments on the desert and the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills. Some of those players, like long-time desert resident Fred Couples, clearly had some idea that the sponsorship issue was looming. 'We're lucky to be here and I'm hoping we can continue,' Couples said before last week's event. 'I don't know what I'm hearing, but I'm hoping we can continue to play here a few more years, or at least for me. I'm getting old.' 'In terms of the golf course, it's right up there. It's a shame it's not a little bit later in the year just preparing for some majors because it's that type of golf course,' said Steven Alker, the 2022 and 2024 Charles Schwab Cup champion on the tour. 'That aspect, they look after us great this week, nice venue facilities, everyone here has always been great. It's nice to come back. Definitely top five or six for sure.' DeLancy said she knows everyone connected to the tour and the players definitely want to return for a fourth year in the desert, with the tournament asking for a five-year commitment from a new sponsor. 'We are very hopeful and I think talking to the right people and continuing to have conversations will get us there,' she said.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steve Allan, Tag Ridings weren't in Galleri Classic field last weekend; now either could win
Steve Allan and Tag Ridings, two players who didn't know last weekend if they would even be in the field of the Galleri Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino, will find themselves Sunday looking for their biggest senior golf moment by winning the tournament. Allan, with no wins in his previous 27 PGA Tour Champions starts, fired a 7-under 65 on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage on Saturday. That puts Allan at 10-under 134 for 36 holes, one shot ahead of Ridings. In just his second PGA Tour Champions event, Ridings tied the tournament single-round scoring record with a 9-under 63 to vault up the leaderboard. Steve Allan watches as his eagle putt on the 18th hole just misses the on the 18th hole during the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., March 29, 2025. Allan enters the final day with a one shot lead. The low scoring was in part because the strong winds that hit the Dinah Shore Course in Friday's first round weren't as gusty Saturday morning and actually disappeared as the round moved on. Advertisement 'We got pretty lucky today. It was windy at the start and it kind of eased,' said Allan. 'A couple of gusts but not too bad. I think you just have to be patient. You just have to know everyone is struggling with it. It's hard.' Allan was out of the field when last weekend started as the first alternate to the field. But when Steve Stricker withdrew from the event with an ailing back, Allan found himself in the tournament. More: Galleri Classic merchandise options include unique autograph kit 'I wasn't sure I was going to get in. I think when I got down to first (alternate), I was fairly confident, but you never know,' Allan said. 'I actually got the news on Saturday, so I kind of knew a little bit earlier, so I had a bit of time to sort of prepare here.' Advertisement Ridings' status for the Galleri Classic was more perilous. He was part of Tuesday's qualifying tournament at Bermuda Dunes Country Club for the event, where three spots in the main field were available. Ridings fired an 8-under 64 to win the qualifier and make his way into the field. Tag Ridings spins his club after hitting a good tee shot on the par-3 17th hole during the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., March 29, 2025. '(The qualifier) helps a lot. Even just playing Tucson (The Cologuard Classic earlier this month), where conditions weren't easy, either, I played okay and finished 30th,' Ridings said. 'That helped give me some confidence, as well. It's a big boost of confidence, but more than confidence out here, you need status. I'm here to do something good tomorrow and work that out.' Three players, reigning PGA Tour Champions player of the year Steven Alker, Jason Caron and first-round co-leader Cameron Percy, are tied for third at 8 under entering Sunday's final round. Alker fired 65 to move into contention at a tournament where he has finished second each of the last two years. Caron managed a 68, while Percy shot 69. Cameron Percy tees off on five during the second round of The Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Saturday, March 29, 2025. Billy Mayfair follows alone in sixth place at 7 under and six players, including first-round co-leader Bernhard Langer, Vijay Singh and Miguel Angel Jimenez, are all at 6 under. Advertisement Ridings had the round of the day with his 63, tying the course record for the event set last year by Ricardo Gonzalez. Ridings' round included nine birdies and put him in the lead for much of the afternoon. 'I made birdie on 1 and did the right thing and birdied 2, which was a very short par 5, and I can't remember the rest of it all,' Ridings said. 'But I made some nice bombs like around the middle of the front nine, 7 and 8 I think, I made some 25-foot putts that were just bonuses, and birdied 9.' Steve Allan strangles his driver as he tries to persuade his tee shot to stay in the fairway on the 18th hole during the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., March 29, 2025. Riding continued with four more birdies on the back nine and had a putt for a birdie on the par-5 18th but missed that 10-footer to settle for 63. Advertisement Playing eight groups behind Ridings, Allan began crawling up the leaderboard with four birdies in a five-hole stretch starting on the par-3 eighth hole. The last of those birdies on the par-4 12th tied Allan for the lead, with players like Caron, Alker and Mayfair jockeying for position. Alker finally grabbed the solo lead by reaching the island green on the par-5 18th in two and two-putting for his seven birdies of the day. That put Allan in a rare position of sleeping on the lead overnight in a pro tournament. 'I had a couple of outside chances last year to win out here, and I didn't play particularly well on the last day,' Allan said. 'But hung in there a couple of times, Dick's (Sporting Goods) and then in Michigan at the Ally, and Stewart Cink played so good early that I was kind of out of it. Tag Ridings celebrates a birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole during the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., March 29, 2025. 'So it's been a while, but it's fun, and the more you get up there, the more you get comfortable with it,' Allan added. 'It was nice to play well today, and wasn't quite in the last group, but it was good.' Advertisement Like Allan, Ridings is soaking up the experience of playing well, even taking something from playing in a threesome Saturday with World Golf Hall of Famers Ernie Els and Vijay Singh. Riding is also well aware that a big day Sunday could change his status for the rest of 2025 on the senior tour. 'Every step of the ladder is a big deal,' said Ridings, who hasn't played full time on the PGA Tour since 2017 and who turned 50 last September. 'That comes into your game plan.' Allan, Ridings and Alker will play in the final threesome at 10:11 a.m. Sunday, when desert winds are expected to get stronger again. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Steve Allan, Tag Ridings share Galleri Classic lead with 18 holes to play
USA Today
15-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
John Daly thankful 'Daddy Trump' getting involved in PGA Tour, PIF negotiations
John Daly thankful 'Daddy Trump' getting involved in PGA Tour, PIF negotiations Two-time major champion and fan favorite John Daly is scheduled to make his 2025 PGA Tour Champions debut at the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach on March 21. He's also among the latest golfers to commit to the Galleri Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino, the PGA Tour Champions event later this month in Rancho Mirage. Daly is expected to be joined in the Galleri field by Notah Begay III, Boo Weekley and Billy Andrade for the third annual Galleri Classic March 26-30 on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. But before his Champions season begins, Daly weighed in on the current negotiations between stakeholders for the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (which owns LIV Golf) and the PGA Tour, saying simply that the situation needs to be fixed. Daly appeared on the Newsmax show "Rob Schmitt Live" and said he has no problem with players playing on both tours, especially because of the workload it would entail. "We're obligated, we have to play in 15 events a year, on the PGA Tour," Daly said. "Our Champions tour is a little less, but to keep our insurance and to keep our 401Ks, our retirement plans going. But you know, hey, if those guys want to go to LIV and they're going to pay them a lot of money, you're going to play 29 tournaments because you have to play 15 on our tour, and you got to play 14 on theirs. That's the end of the solution. Let's go play golf. "Golf's a global game and everybody should have the opportunity to play ... You're born, you live, and what is it for? To make sure you take care of your family. LIV Golf is taking care of some people's families, and that's the way I look at it." A five-time PGA Tour winner Daly first gained notoriety by winning the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate into the field and without playing a practice round. The improbable victory was the catalyst to his 1991 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year season. In 1995, Daly became the youngest active player on the PGA Tour to win two major championships when he captured the British Open Championship at St. Andrews. Daly made 16 starts on the PGA Tour Champions in 2024, with his best finish a T-22 at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wisconsin. He played in two majors, the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, withdrawing in both cases after posting opening rounds of 82. He said he's thankful the PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and President Donald Trump have been meeting to help bring the sides together. "I just want Jay, and thank God daddy Trump is getting involved, because I want it to work out. Because I have friends on the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour, and I want them all to just play. The best players need to play." Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs Desert Sun contributed reporting to this article.
