PGA Tour set to lose another longtime sponsor

Blow after blow.

A new report has suggested that the short-term future of the PGA Tour isn’t looking any brighter, as the American circuit is set to lose another sponsor.

After Jon Rahm’s departure to LIV Golf, the Jay Monahan-led tour lost long-standing tournament sponsor Wells Fargo in December.

The San Francisco-based bank, who won’t renew its title sponsorship of the ‘Wells Fargo Championship’, are to walk away after this year’s Signature Event.

And it has been joined in calling it a day with the PGA Tour by Farmers Insurance, according to the Sports Business Journal (SBJ).

Sources claim the company has told the tour it will not renew its title sponsorship of the San Diego event, the Farmers Insurance Open, when it expires in 2026.

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The California-based insurance firm put its name to the tournament prior to the 2010 event before signing a seven-year contract extension ahead of the 2018 event.

It has become one of the longest-running sponsors on tour, while it also sponsors the Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour event at Torrey Pines prior to the PGA Tour competition.

Farmers Insurance laid off 11% of its workforce, or around 2,400 employees, in August, in a bid to protect its long-term profitability, it said.

And in the latest chapter of Rickie Fowler’s career, the PGA Tour winner has confirmed his deal with Farmers was not renewed after joining in 2013.

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Fellow tournament sponsors RBC has already confirmed that the RBC Canadian Open and RBC Heritage are on one-year deals in 2024 to assess their future amid ongoing PIF negotiations.

Meanwhile, SBJ has also reported that Malbon Golf are eyeing up the signatures of ‘several’ players currently with Nike.

Former world No. 1 Jason Day left the swoosh behind after ten years to join Erica and Stephen Malbon’s new trend-shifting brand.

He was then joined by Charley Hull, Jeongeun Lee6 and Jesper Parnevik, with Day’s multi-year deal stemming from Malbon’s friendship with PGA Tour players Cameron Champ and Tony Finau.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.