June 16, 2022
AKRON, Ohio – PGA TOUR Champions and the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship announced today that Kaulig Companies, a growing single-member family office that operates successful verticals inside of multiple industries across the country, will become the new title sponsor of the PGA TOUR Champions event at Firestone Country Club with a four-year agreement beginning in 2023. The official name of the tournament will be announced at a later date.
“At Kaulig Companies, we continuously look for ways to better our community, and it is an honor to partner with PGA TOUR Champions to sponsor one of their flagship events,” said Matt Kaulig, Executive Chairman of Kaulig Companies. “Being able to support the city of Akron, along with the tournament’s impressive track record of giving back to local charities – many of the same that we give back to through Kaulig Giving – made it an easy decision for our team to sign on as the title sponsor. We look forward to building upon the tournament’s success, and for an exciting four years ahead.”
Next year’s tournament at Firestone Country Club will be contested July 13-16, 2023. “We are thrilled to welcome Kaulig Companies to the PGA TOUR Champions family,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady. “This title sponsorship is another example of Kaulig Companies’ longstanding commitment and support for the local community. We are grateful for Matt Kaulig and Tim Clepper’s role in ensuring this event will maintain its position each season as one of the truly special tournaments on our schedule. We are grateful to Bridgestone for its support of this tournament through the years, and we look forward to celebrating their contributions at this year’s event.”
One of five major championships on PGA TOUR Champions, the 72-hole tournament plays host to 78 players competing for a $3 million purse. Past champions of the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship include Retief Goosen (2019), Jerry Kelly (2020) and Steve Stricker (2021). In addition to the competition rounds, the week-long event includes Pro-Ams, the Ambassador of Golf Award – which this year will honor Former United States Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice – tournament hospitality venues, concerts and special events.
“The team at Kaulig Companies is proud to partner with PGA TOUR Champions and we look forward to sponsoring such an iconic event in Northeast Ohio,” said Tim Clepper, President and CEO of Kaulig Companies. “Hosting a professional golf tournament creates a positive impact on the local community, in addition to our economy, and we are thrilled to be part of the next chapter with the PGA TOUR Champions team.”
The 2022 Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship continues the tradition of professional golf< tournaments at Firestone Country Club that have given back over $30 million to area charities in< partnership with Northern Ohio Golf Charities. The 2021 donation of $840,000 is the largest annual charitable total generated through the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship and Ambassador of Golf Event presented by FirstEnergy Foundation. The donations go to worthy causes throughout the Northeast Ohio region. Key charities supported include Akron Children’s Hospital, LeBron James Family Foundation, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, First Tee of Greater Akron, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Akron General Challenge Golf Program, Summa Health and United Way Summit Medina.
“We are excited that Kaulig Companies will be the title sponsor of one of the Champions Tour’s marquee events and Bridgestone will be a Founding Partner of the tournament,” said Don Padgett III, executive director of the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. “Their support enables the golf tournament
to help outstanding charitable organizations throughout our community and continue the tradition of professional golf at Firestone Country Club that will celebrate a 70-year anniversary in 2023.”Previously, Firestone Country Club hosted the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational from 2006-2018. Firestone Country Club has a rich history of former champions, a list which includes Justin Thomas (2018), Hideki Matsuyama (2017), Rory McIlroy (2014) and eight-time winner Tiger Woods (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013).
“At Bridgestone, we believe what really matters is making a positive and lasting impact in our local communities for future generations, and professional golf at Firestone Country Club has done so much to benefit our neighbors across Northeast Ohio,” said Paolo Ferrari, President and CEO, Bridgestone Americas. “We’ve been proud to help extend this tradition as title sponsor since 2006, and we look forward to continuing our support into the future as a Founding Partner of this great event.” The 2022 playing of the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYER Championship will take place July 7-10, 2022, at Firestone Country Club. For more information, please visit BridgestoneSENIORPLAYERS.com.
Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour, on Instagram @pgatourchampions and on TikTok (pgatourchampions).
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on GOLF Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 20-plus TV linear partners in 170-plus countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 170-plus hours of live coverage distributed in 130-plus countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States (240-plus countries and territories), excluding China, Korea and Russia, with live coverage distributed in 130-plus countries and territories.
Kaulig Companies Limited is the single-member family office (SFO) for Matt Kaulig and his immediate family. The family office operates across a diverse spectrum of businesses, including sports and entertainment, marketing and event management, private equity, real estate, investment advisory services and philanthropy, with a focus on children and families. To learn more visit www.kauligcompanies.com.
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