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Sponsor of the Las Vegas tournament since 2007, this partner which was among the oldest on the PGA Tour has decided to end the contract which linked it to the American circuit after having been relegated in recent years to the Fall Series.
Little did anyone know that JT Poston's victory last week in Las Vegas in the Shriners Children's Open would be the last in a series of 18 tournaments sponsored by the children's hospital. Indeed, Shrinersthe title sponsor of the tournament since 2007, announced its decision to end the partnership which linked it to the PGA Tour.
“We have had a wonderful 18 years as host and title sponsor of the Shriners Children's Open, said Bob Roller, Shriners vice president of sports sponsorship. The opportunity to tell our incredible stories to the 1.6 million children who have received Shriners care was, and still is, our primary goal. »
PGA Tour officials confirmed that the 2024 tournament was therefore the last with Shriners but neither Roller nor the American circuit gave any explanation for this withdrawal.
Woods premiere
The objective now for the PGA Tour is to quickly find a partner for this tournament which has taken place for 42 years in Las Vegas while the calendar for the 2025 regular season has just been made public. The Fall Series 2025 is currently still in development and this announcement will certainly further delay their publication.
The solution of keeping the tournament on the calendar without a title sponsor is being considered even though this has not happened for seven years.
Remember that this meeting in the “city of sin” saw the first professional victory of Tiger Woods in 1996. Since this inaugural success, the Tiger has won 81 other times.
Another unforgettable victory that of Jonathan Byrd in 2010 when the American made a hole-in-one in the play-off on the 17th of TPC Summerlin.
The arrival of the LIV turned everything upside down
In 2024, 7 new title sponsors out of 49 tournaments have arrived on the circuit and it is difficult to uncorrelate these movements from the implementation of Signature Events to counter the emergence of LIV Golf and consequently the downgrading of certain tests.
The latest example was the withdrawal of Fortinet of the tournament in Napa, California, and the last minute arrival of Procore as the new title sponsor.
Still regarding the Fall Series, the group Sanderson Farms had also announced that 2024 would be its last year of sponsorship of the tournament in Jackson, Mississippi, before reversing its decision and granting itself one more year.
All these late season events have also reduced their prizes this year. The Shriners had not escaped the rule going from 7.8 million dollars in 2023 to 7 million this year.
Another explanation is to be sought on the side of LPGA including the Match Play tournament, organized in Las Vegas, is now sponsored by T-Mobile. The struggle to find powerful groups capable of putting large sums on the table is becoming increasingly fierce.
©PGA Tour
