The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America has announced the multi-year extension and expansion of its partnership with US brewing heavyweight Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev).
The brewing giant's Michelob Ultra light beer brand will now remain the official beer sponsor of the annual PGA Championship, one of the sport's four top-line Major tournaments, through 2026.
Furthermore, the partnership will be extended to cover the PGA of America itself through 2026, as well as the 2025 edition of golf’s biennial showpiece Ryder Cup teams competition between Europe and the US.
AB InBev has been partnered with the PGA of America since 2018, and last renewed the partnership in 2021, with the deal set to expire this year.
The partnership has been activated through a number of the brewer’s different alcohol brands including Michelob Ultra, as well as non-alcoholic beer O’Doul’s and Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer.
Speaking on the latest renewal, PGA of America senior director for global partnerships Luke Weissman stated that the expanded partnership will “undoubtedly elevate our spectator experience and beverage portfolio.”
The 2024 PGA Championship will take place between May 16 and 19 in Louisville, Kentucky, with the following two editions to take place in Charlotte, North Carolina (2025), and Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (2026).
Michelob Ultra’s partnership with the Ryder Cup in 2025 coincides with the rotation of the tournament’s location back to US soil. The US and Europe rotate hosting duties every edition and in 2025 the event will be held in Bethpage, New York.
AB-InBev has secured a number of high-profile sports partnerships of late, including for Michelob Ultra.
In January the drinks conglomerate announced a major partnership with the International Olympic Committee through 2028, one that will see Michelob Ultra become the official beer of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in the US market.
The partnership centers around InBev’s brand Corona which it sells in over 180 global markets but crucially not in the US, where the rights to the Corona brand are held by rival drinks firm Constellations.
Therefore, within the US, support for the Olympics on the beverage front will be led by Michelob Ultra, which is also the official beer partner of the US Olympic team through 2028.
It is likely that Anheuser-Busch and the PGA of America will look to continue their partnership through Michelob Ultra through 2028 should the coming years prove successful, with golf set to feature at the 2028 Olympics, and with the US one of the world’s biggest golf markets.
