This week marks the beginning of the 2025 “Florida Swing”. In simpler times, most of all the PGA TOUR players would begin in the southern portion of the Sunshine State and make their way through Orlando on the way to The Players Championship near Jacksonville.
With so 39 events on the schedule this year, top golfers tend to pick and choose what works for them, and there’s so much prize money available to allow them the luxury to do so.
For example, one might skip The Cognizant in the Palm Beaches in favor of next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and The Players Championship, then pass on the Valspar Championship four weeks from now before resuming in Texas and so on.
The meat of the four event Florida sandwich features double or more prize than those in Palm Beach Gardens and Tampa. The API, designated by the TOUR as a “signature event” boasts a $20 Million purse and The Players offers a season-high $25 Million to the deepest regular season field of the year.
The talk of the PGA TOUR these days is their newly created Fan Forward initiative to better connect with the current and next generation of consumers. Clearly, there’s been a tremendous amount of fan and stakeholder fatigue given the lingering fracture attributed to LIV Golf and the TOUR’s handling of the matter.
If all this Fan Forward is the sizzle, then the very well-prepared steak, in my estimation, is served annually in the Florida finale at the Valspar Championship, March 17-23. Much like the John Deere Classic in the Quad Cities, which is staged over July 4th holiday, it’s seen by many insiders as having worked harder and smarter on an exceptional fan experience from inception and appears to require little direction from headquarters on how to deliver value to those who invest in paid admission tickets.
“That means a lot, because we’re really trying to do things that are unique. When people come out, they have a really, really good time,” said Tracy West, Executive Director of the Valspar Championship, who is one of a handful of leaders invited to serve on the TOUR’S Fan Forward committee.
West says Fan Forward is about doing what makes your event unique and building upon it each year. From my personal two decades of experience covering the John Deere Classic, for instance, they’ve never had an ideal date either, and over the years and have had Open Championships and Olympic Golf impact player participation. Like the Valspar, it is not designated a higher paying signature event.
Still, the John Deere continues to raise more money for local charities annually than any other PGA TOUR event, which is a massive accomplishment considering they are based in such a small market. Like Valspar, Deere & Co. introduced big name post-round weekend concerts at no charge beyond purchase of a daily grounds ticket and have created a variety of activities to ensure that fans keep coming back for more.
“Each tournament has its own flair and so forth. But we really take it, I think, to another level with the different activities and things that we do. So, yes, we’re proud of what we’ve built. And it’s tremendous having Valspar, right? We have a paint company. It’s fun. It’s color. Right? It’s a lot easier for us maybe than some other tournaments to activate in a way that is unique and different. So, and we’re fortunate that Valspar really looks at it that way. And it’s not just, hey, what’s in it for our customers and our client entertaining. It’s what’s in it for all the fans that are coming to,” added West.
Caption: Valspar’s Remarkable Year-Round Inclusive Media and Influencer Engagement
For its part, Valspar, a division of Sherwin-Williams brands, is all in for another five years. At this week’s media day preview event staged for those who influence and spread the word, another thing Valspar does better, more inclusively and authentically than any other TOUR event in Florida, Senior Vice President Brett White announced an extension of their title sponsorship through 2030.
“There’s a lot of things that we consider, obviously, we have a lot of stakeholders. So, the impact on our brand and our business, but also the impact on our employees and how they feel about things, and the impact on the communities that we live in and work in. So those are all factors in this decision,” said White.
And just like the homes and businesses being painted with Valspar’s colorful paints, location always matters too!
“We’re blessed with an amazing golf course here at Innisbrook Resort. I think one of the reasons why this event is so highly regarded is because of the golf course. It’s a true test, and the pros love it,” added White who was equally effusive in his praise for West, her team and the Copperheads, a group of volunteers co-chaired by former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ronde’ Barber.
The Florida Swing finale’ features a purse of $8.7 million, with $1.72 million and 500 FedExCup points awarded to the winner. Peter Malnati will return to defend last year’s title after claiming his second career victory on TOUR and first in more than eight years.
“We pay some extra love to the caddies, as you know, said White. “I think all of that comes together to make it a very desirable event for the pros to come to, which is why we really get a great roster of pros that play here.”
Tournament co-chair John Astrab revealed this week that Justin Thomas, currently ranked 9th in the Official World Golf Ranking, has committed to making his 8thappearance in at the Valspar. He’ll compete against a strong field that currently includes 16 of the top 50 players in the latest OWGR.
“As the final event of the PGA TOUR’s Florida Swing, the Valspar Championship sits in a pivotal spot on the golf calendar as players and fans gear up for the heart of our FedExCup Season,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our friends at Valspar understand the importance this event carries in the Sunshine State and have embraced that role through unique activations including the Valspar Be Bright mural initiative and the Valspar Caddie Hat Program. The PGA TOUR is proud to continue building upon these enhancements with Valspar as we take our relationship into the next decade.”
