Tour News

FedEx corners the express delivery market on the PGA Tour

Published

6 years ago

May 11, 2017

FedEx and the PGA Tour have reached a 10-year agreement for the express delivery company to sponsor the Tour’s season long points race, which culminates in the FedEx Playoffs and a $10 million paycheck to the winner. This agreement has also allowed FedEx to drop the hammer on its competitors in the shipping market; players who are sponsored by competing company’s will not be allowed to participate in the season-long competition.

Players who would be immediately affected by this clause include UPS-endorsers Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen, although they have been “grandfathered in,” the Golf Channel report. That means they will still be allowed to compete in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but this is certainly a warning shot to those considering future sponsorship deals with competitors of FedEx.

“All I’m going to say on that front is when you’re in business with someone for 30 years, and you’re about to commit to 10 more, you do some things to protect each other on a long-term basis,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “That’s what we’ve done in this agreement, and our players know that; our players understand it; our players think so highly of FedEx and what they’ve meant to them in terms of playing financial opportunities. So we do everything we can to protect our partners.”

Deal like FedEx’s could start a dangerous precedent, though. What if AT&T decides all players who have endorsement deals with Verizon or Sprint are not welcome to play in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am? Is the Shell Houston Open going to be closed to players sponsored by other oil companies? Of course, with a 10-year deal in place for a season-long competition, there’s huge money at play that benefits both the Tour and the PGA Tour players.

A point raised in the Golf Channel report is that PGA Tour players are essentially independent contractors, and while the PGA Tour does have policies written about sponsorships, this type of clause isn’t addressed.

“Generally, all sponsorships must be tasteful and in accordance with standards of decorum expected of professional golfers,” reads the Tour policy. “Sponsorships by companies whose business reputation or ongoing business activities may reflect adversely upon the image and reputation of the PGA Tour will not be approved.”

This applies to endorsements from tobacco, alcohol, casinos and gambling companies, but not necessarily competitors of sponsors.

It doesn’t sound as though the exclusivity clause is up for any kind of debate, however, as the Tour has already agreed to it, it will certainly affect the way sponsorships and endorsement deals are conducted between players, companies and the Tour moving forward.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2023 Valero Texas Open

Published

2 days ago

Mar 30, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

Ah, the Valero Texas Open — a tournament as rich in history as it is in Texan charm. The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar.

Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw. But the real star of the show? That would have to be the legendary Texan wind, which can turn a benign par-4 into a 500-yard monster faster than you can say “y’all.”

Per usual, GolfWRX was on site to check out what the pros are playing with the Masters just a week away.

Check out links to all our galleries, below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2023 WGC-Dell Match Play

Published

1 week ago

Mar 22, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX was on site in Austin for the Dell Technologies Match Play where players had a short week of preparation prior to a long week of play with matches getting underway Wednesday.

As GolfWRXers well know, the tournament’s format is unique in that it is a match play event, meaning that players compete against each other in head-to-head matches rather than the traditional stroke play format. Over the years, the tournament has seen many great champions, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Rory McIlroy. Last year, Scottie Scheffler took down Kevin Kisner 4&3 and claimed the $2.1 million winner’s share.

There was plenty to see at Austin Country Club with six WITBs — including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, five general galleries, and several interesting pull-outs — including a look at a pair of Tom Kim’s custom Scotty Cameron putters.

Check out links to all our photos from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2023 Valspar Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

Mar 15, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is live from the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort’s challenging Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida. Designed by renowned architect Lawrence Packard, the Copperhead is best known for its three-hole finishing stretch called “The Snake Pit,” which bring hazards and high scores into play. The course’s signature hole is the par-3 15th, which requires a precise shot over water to a narrow green that is heavily guarded by bunkers.

Strategic shot-making and careful course management will be of prime importance this week, just as both elements were for our tour photographer in navigating the range and practice green en route to assembling nine general galleries and 14 WITBs — including Akshay Bhatia and Adam Hadwin!