US women’s golf’s LPGA top-tier body has extended its major commercial relationship with CME Group, the financial derivatives marketplace, through 2027.
Through a deal unveiled yesterday (November 20), CME extends its deal as title sponsor of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, and of the season-long Race to the CME Globe points competition. The agreement has been unveiled with the 2024 edition of the event beginning today and encompasses the 2025 and 2026 tournaments.
CME has put its name to the Florida event since 2011, and as of this year, the event is set to offer a prize purse which is the largest in the history of women’s golf.
The 2024 CME Group Tour Championship will feature a total purse of $11 million, with $4 million for first place. The runner-up, meanwhile, will collect $1 million.
The last deal between CME and the LPGA covering the Florida event, held at Tiburon Golf Club, was unveiled last November (expanding the purse to record levels), as a two-year affair. Before that, the previous extension was in 2017.
The Race to the CME Globe, meanwhile, has been a part of the overall LPGA calendar since 2014, through which players’ points throughout the whole season count towards gaining entry into the Naples event.
In terms of its on-site presence in Naples, CME Group will host clients during a pro-am tournament in the days leading up to the Tour Championship, called Financial Face-Off. The two leading teams will be joined for the deciding playoff by two LPGA stars, Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko.
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the LPGA’s commissioner, has commented: “CME Group’s long-term vision and commitment have consistently propelled women’s golf forward since they first partnered with the LPGA in 2011, and their continued investment in our players is a testament to their belief in the future of women’s sports.
“Our partnership with CME Group has been a game-changer for the LPGA, and we can’t wait to continue to work together toward further growth and impact.”
Other LPGA commercial partners include brands such as BetMGM, KPMG, Nikon, Rolex, SeatGeek, Titleist, and Whoop.
Last year’s CME Group Tour Championship was won by Amy Yang of South Korea.
