Sentry is New Title Sponsor of Tournament of Champions at Kapalua

Sentry insurance, one of the largest business-focused mutual insurance companies in the US, and the PGA TOUR announced it has finalized a five-year agreement making Sentry the new title sponsor of the exclusive winners-only Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Resort.

KAPALUA, MAUI, HI – JANUARY 9: A course scenic view of the 18th green during the third round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 9, 2016 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

In January, Hyundai announced it would end its sponsorship of the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua’s Plantation Course after being the title sponsor for six years.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions will maintain its traditional spot as the first tournament in January 2018 when the 2017-18 PGA TOUR schedule resumes following the holiday break. The agreement extends through the 2021-22 season.

This is the insurance company’s first major sports sponsorship.

“Sentry Insurance is proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to sponsor the Tournament of Champions, held on beautiful Maui,” said Pete McPartland, Sentry chairman of the board, president, and CEO. “This tournament and its champions format is the ideal way to more broadly introduce Sentry to the business insurance audience.”

Sentry has been involved with golf since 1984 when the company built SentryWorld, Wisconsin’s first destination golf course. The company says that sponsoring the Sentry Tournament of Champions is considered a natural next step for Sentry, providing an opportunity to reach a wide business audience.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sentry to the PGA TOUR and become its first major venture into sports sponsorship,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Sponsorship & Partnership. “Sentry is highly respected as a company that is dedicated to its employees, its customers and embraces the spirit of giving back. So, we view this as a relationship between two organizations that hold common values.”

The Tournament of Champions dates back to 1953 when it was introduced at Las Vegas’ Desert Inn Country Club as an event for winners from the previous season. The tournament remained at Desert Inn CC until 1967, when it moved to Stardust Country Club. The tournament moved from Las Vegas in 1969 to La Costa Country Club in Carlsbad, CA, where it remained for 30 years before relocating to its current home at Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui.

The most recent winners of the tournament are defending champion Justin Thomas, a four-time winner this season, including Aug. 13th PGA Championship; Jordan Spieth (2016); Patrick Reed (2015); Zach Johnson (2014); and Dustin Johnson (2013).