Procore takes title sponsorship for Napa Valley PGA Tour stop!

Cover photo (left to right): MC Frank LaRosa, John Norris (PGA Tour), Andy McDowell (Tournament director).

With media day for the PGA Tour event at the Silverado Resort in the beautiful Napa Valley set for Wednesday, July 31, the crew at Silverado were hard at work Tuesday night making sure everything was ready to go.

But as of Tuesday in the early evening, there was one thing missing – the title sponsor.

With the late withdrawal of Fortinet – which had been the sponsor the three previous years after taking over the title sponsor role from Safeway, although there had been discussions, as the day turned into night Tuesday, there was no deal.

Finally, around 8 p.m. July 30, a contract was signed, making the tournament now known as the Procore Championship. The tournament is set for September 9-15 on the North course at the Silverado Resort.

“Without a title sponsor, you can’t have a tournament,” said John Norris, the Senior Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs for the PGA Tour, who made the trip out from Florida. “(Procore) are passionate about giving to the community. They came in at the last hour, but the best hour.”

Procore Technologies creates software with a focus on providing timely and accurate data forthe construction industry. Procore transforms the construction industry one project at a time – from hospitals and skyscrapers to airports and stadiums. Beyond its connected, innovative technology, Procore empowers the industry and its communities through Procore.org. For more information, visit www.procore.com.

“We are honored to partner with the PGA TOUR as the title sponsor of the Procore Championship,” said Sarah Hodges, Chief Marketing Officer, Procore. “This partnership reflects our commitment to community and innovation, two values that are deeply ingrained in both construction and golf. We look forward to kicking off the 2024 FedExCup Fall Season with the Procore Championship and supporting the Napa Valley community through this prestigious event.”

It’s going to be a daunting task for sure, but it’s a huge step in the right direction for the good of the event. For years, when the tournament was the Safeway Open, the standard for the fan experience was golden.

The Safeway Open was not just a PGA Tour but was one of the top fan experiences in all of golf. When Fortinet came in three years ago, the fans took a back seat to corporate dealings of Fortinet.

I wrote after the first year of Fortinet that it was indeed Fortinet’s money, and they deserve to do what it wanted to do with the event. But the fans suffered as it turned from a wonderful fan experience to a glorified corporate retreat for Fortinet and its customers.

Tournament Director Andy McDowell– and a person that wears several hats for the event – knows the importance of the fans, but also realizes it’s not very long until September 9.

“The fan experience is paramount,” said McDowell. “We have an announcement coming next week that is all about the fan experience.”

There are two things McDowell and his staff have restored from before Fortinet became the title sponsor.

“We have restored the parking plan we used to have,” said McDowell. “We have also moved the entrance back to the spot by the pro shop. It worked well for us for 10 years.”

Both were perplexing moves by Fortinet when they took over and just those two moves will make it a better experience for the fans.

The Fortinet team moved parking and the tournament entrance down on to the South course at Silverado, instead favoring Fortinet corporate displays in the area that made more sense for the fans.

There is not enough time to schedule concerts for this year – as of July 31 the was no construction started on anything – grandstands, luxury suites, food and beverage pavilions, etc. – so making the concerts work would be impossible.

Listening to people talk from Procore, and seeing the excitement from McDowell and his team, this going to be yet another exciting event.

Check back here next week for new announcements as it relates to the fan experience.

There’s a commitment and a badly missed vibe that was missing the last three years.

And given that Procore is on board for next year as well, with the group having an entire year to get it done as opposed to the 40 days it has this year, the 2025 tournament should be back to what it was four years ago.

While this will be a lot of work, with seemingly everyone already falling into lockstep with the organization, everything will get done, be done well, and will guarantee fans a great time!

For more information on the tournament or tickets, please visit, www.procorechampionship.com.

By Dennis Miller