The Scottish Open will have a new sponsor in 2022 in South Korean car company Genesis and is now part of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup as the American and European Tours tighten their collaboration.
The Genesis Scottish Open (July 4-10) will be officially co-sanctioned between the two partner Tours, have a field split between members from both the PGA Tour and Europe.
In return, the two events on the PGA Tour held during the weeks of the Open Championship and the Scottish Open, The Barbasol Championship and The Barracuda Championship, will be opened to 50 European Tour members.
All three events will qualify for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup points race and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.
Genesis, the luxury automotive brand from South Korea, will now title sponsor two tournaments on the PGA Tour, with the Genesis Scottish Open joining Tiger Wood’s Genesis Invitational tournament held at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles in February.
Scottish confirmed for pre-Open slot until 2025
The Scottish Open will hold its place in the global golf schedule prior to the Open Championship until at least 2025. A continuation of the deal with The Scottish Government, managed by VisitScotland, is also confirmed through to 2025.
“We are delighted to welcome Genesis as a title sponsor of a European Tour event for the first time,” said European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley. “Genesis has a strong history of sponsorship on the PGA Tour through The Genesis Invitational, and their commitment to the Scottish Open will further enhance one of our premier events of the season.”
The Scottish will appear on the PGA Tour’s official schedule for the first time. It has been a mainstay of the European Tour since 1986.
This year’s event had a greater number of visitors from the PGA Tour than ever before, indicating the American tour’s acceptance of it as a premier worldwide event.
‘A significant step for the global game’
“Adding an existing, strong title sponsor in Genesis to our Strategic Alliance in the form of the Genesis Scottish Open – to be sanctioned by both Tours – is a significant step for the global game,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
“Coupled with their support of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera, we’re incredibly proud to forge a deeper relationship with this premier brand across the global game.”
It is also confirmed that as part of the Strategic Alliance and collaboration between the two Tours, the Irish Open will see a significant increase in prize money next year to $6 million – nearly double the prizefund in 2021.
‘This is most definitely just the beginning’
Pelley said the news confirmed the promise that the strategic alliance of the tours would benefit members of both.
“Today’s announcement underlines that, with further enhancements to the Genesis Scottish Open, a strengthening of the Irish Open for our members, and direct access for European Tour members to two PGA TOUR events,” he said.
“There has been considerable collaboration behind the scenes between our two Tours since last November. We are delighted to share these initial developments, which demonstrate our commitment to working together for the betterment of our sport globally.
“We will have more to announce in the coming months – this is most definitely just the beginning.”
Monahan said the both tours were now “stronger than at any time in our history”.
“We are positioned to grow – together – over the next 10 years faster than we have at any point in our existence,” he said.
“We are committed to continuing to evolve and adapt. Our ever-strengthening partnership with the European Tour will take the global game to the heights we all know it is capable of.”