Roars for Rory: McIlroy wins FedEx Cup, $15M

Click here to read the full article…

The Southern California PGA and the SCPGA Junior Tour are pleased to announce a two-year partnership with the Patrick Cantlay Foundation and the creation of the “Patrick Cantlay Series,” launching in the Summer of 2021. The Patrick Cantlay Series will be a series of four (4) elite junior events to be conducted on the SCPGA Junior Tour’s Toyota Tour Cup schedule for both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Patrick Cantlay participated in the SCPGA Junior Tour from 2002-2010, and has become one of the most successful alumni of the program. He is a three-time PGA TOUR Champion, including the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in 2017, the Memorial Tournament in 2019, and the ZOZO Championship in 2020. Cantlay is currently ranked 8th in the Official World Golf Rankings and is considered one of the top stars on Tour with his consistency and tenacity. Cantlay had a successful amateur career and was the number one golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. The Patrick Cantlay Series will consist of four events within the Toyota Tour Cup schedule, showcasing the top junior golfers within Southern California and the surrounding regions. The events will be among the highest-ranked events on the schedule and promise to provide elite competition and a unique and fun experience for the participants on some of the areas best courses. “The SCPGA Junior Tour was instrumental in my development as a golfer. The competition was second to none, and some of my fondest memories are of my junior golf days competing in the SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup. That time laid the foundation for me in the collegiate, amateur and professional ranks in golf, both on the course as well as gaining life skills along the way,” Patrick said. “As the first project of the Patrick Cantlay Foundation, I’m thrilled we can support the SCPGA Junior Tour and reward hard working juniors as well as provide these additional opportunities for youth to play the game.” “For a player of Patrick’s caliber to recognize the importance of giving back to his community, and to the junior program he enjoyed, is to be commended. We are fortunate to have many alumni who have achieved great success both in the professional ranks and within the community, and we are always grateful for their support. The level of support Patrick has committed to, is the largest to date from any of our alumni or donors. We are thrilled with his commitment and his continued support in seeing the SCPGA Junior Tour continue to thrive”, said Nikki Gatch, Chief Operating Officer for the SCPGA. The Patrick Cantlay Series will begin on June 28-29 at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club (Mission Viejo, CA); July 19-20 at The Saticoy Club (Somis, CA); September 11-12 at Indian Wells Resort (Indian Wells, CA); and the Series Championship on October 16-17 at La Costa Resort (Carlsbad, CA). About the Southern California PGA Junior Tour Established in 1948, the Southern California PGA now hosts one of the largest and most respected junior golf programs in the country. The SCPGA Junior Tour is a three-tiered program featuring the Toyota Tour Cup, the Players Tour and the Junior Development Tour. Together, these three tours administer over 290 tournaments annually for kids of all ages and skill-levels. These events provide playing opportunities throughout Southern California, many of which are hosted by PGA facilities. The Junior Tour boasts countless alumni including Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Lizette Salas, Rickie Fowler, Danielle Kang, Collin Morikawa, Matthew Wolff, Angel Yin, Xander Schauffele, Haley Moore, and many more. About the Patrick Cantlay Foundation The Patrick Cantlay Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that is honored to partner with initiatives that support the game of junior golf and help with programs that assist and advocate on behalf of first-responders. As an American professional golfer, Cantlay’s foundation efforts focus on places that he has called home or that have held significance to him during his career. Please visit www.PatrickCantlay.com to learn more.

Click here to read the full article…

“Official Virtual Reality Golf Game of the PGA TOUR” to integrate PGA TOUR tournament courses into GOLF+ beginning with TPC Scottsdale and TPC Sawgrass early in 2023 PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR and GOLF+, the leading VR golf game in the world, today announced a long-term deal that makes GOLF+ the “Official Virtual Reality Golf Game of the PGA TOUR.” The agreement will also see the creation of new PGA TOUR game experiences where GOLF+ players will be able to experience exclusive, interactive content and features tied to real-world PGA TOUR tournaments. Using a Meta Quest VR headset, GOLF+ users will be able to compete on select TPC Network golf courses and other PGA TOUR tournament courses beginning with TPC Scottsdale and TPC Sawgrass early in 2023. These in- game PGA TOUR experiences will offer players exclusive tournament competition within the game. Additional tournament courses will be added in the coming years to join the GOLF+ roster of world-class venues. “The PGA TOUR is excited to work with GOLF+, the leading golf game in the emerging VR gaming market,” said Len Brown, PGA TOUR Chief Legal Officer, and EVP, Licensing. “The GOLF+ VR platform is a forward-thinking way to enjoy the sport that is appealing to gamers and golfers of all levels, and an innovative way for people to play the game of golf and grow the sport globally. The TOUR will support the partnership with new courses, ShotLink powered by CDW data, shot trails and video highlights from PGA TOUR competitions.” GOLF+ will have rights to use PGA TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms, plus content and video rights allowing GOLF+ to create unique, in-game experiences. “We look forward to working with the PGA TOUR as it provides the ability to present unparalleled interactive tournament experiences to our players in VR,” said Ryan Engle, Co-Founder and CEO of GOLF+. “We are both committed to using innovative technology and interactive experiences to reach new golfers worldwide and grow the game we love.” Golfers and other athletes who have joined GOLF+ as investors include Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, World Golf Hall of Famer Ben Crenshaw, Tom Brady, Steph Curry and Mike Trout. “Beyond providing one of the best VR sports experiences in the world, GOLF+ will now offer a new way for fans to enjoy the excitement of the PGA TOUR,” said Rory McIlroy. “This technology has the power to not only bring new people to the game of golf, but also evolve the way the PGA TOUR is seen and experienced by golfers and gamers everywhere.” “When I was a kid, I always dreamed of making it to the PGA TOUR and testing my game inside the ropes against the best players in the world,” added Jordan Spieth. “It’s great that fans and future TOUR pros are going to be able to use this platform to get a taste for what it’s like to compete on the PGA TOUR.” Designed to be complementary to traditional golf, the GOLF+ VR experience removes typical barriers such as time constraints, greens fees and weather to allow users to play anywhere, anytime. For those who have never picked up a club in the real world, it offers a stress-free way to learn, play and practice at their own pace. Avid golfers can enjoy realistic physics and life-like recreations of some of the most iconic courses in the world. In less than a year since launch, the platform’s hundreds of thousands of golfers have played over six million rounds on the platform. GOLF+ is currently available on the Meta Quest 2 platform for $29.99. The game comes standard with original course designs, Topgolf, and a mini golf experience called Pro Putt. Players can add the famed Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No.2, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island and Wolf Creek Golf Club as in-app purchases. GOLF+ allows for both single-player and multiplayer options, making it ideal for solo practice or a social round.

Click here to read the full article…