PGA TOUR’s International Tours to start new series of U.S.-based events

The PGA TOUR’s International Tours announced Tuesday that it is partnering with LOCALiQ, the Official Digital Marketing Services Firm of the PGA TOUR, to conduct the LOCALiQ Series, a set of tournaments designed for members from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series-China.

The eight-tournament Series, featuring seven 54-hole stroke-play tournaments and a season-ending 72-hole event, begins in August, with the first seven events played in the Southeastern U.S., and the Series-ending tournament at a site to be determined. The champion of the final tournament and the top-two players on the Series-long points list will receive sponsor exemptions into a 2021 PGA TOUR tournament. The TOUR plans to announce other performance benefits for players in the future.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to make this announcement. We have so many gifted, hard-working players who were anxious to play this season on their respective Tours before the affects of COVID-19 caused us to change our plans. To be able to provide this Series and these quality playing opportunities is very gratifying,” said Rob Ohno, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, International Tours. “And we’re thrilled to be working with a TOUR partner in LOCALiQ on a series of events that we know is going make a difference for these players.”

Each field in the LOCALiQ Series will be filled with 144 players, primarily those who are active members of one of the TOUR’s International Tours. The purse at each tournament will be a minimum of U.S. $100,000 with a full field, the winner’s share set at $16,000.

The Series begins the first week of August, with three events in Georgia—with two in Alpharetta and the third in Callaway Gardens. The fourth is in Auburn, Alabama. The fifth and sixth events are in the Florida cities of Jacksonville and Lady Lake.

The seventh tournament is at The Club at Weston Hills in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., previous host to PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Qualifying Tournaments.

The Series concludes October 26-30. The closing tournament will be a limited-field tournament with the top-78 eligible players from the points list invited.  

LOCALiQ, the sales and marketing arm of Gannett Co., Inc., is committed to the communities in its network and helping them build relationships with their local businesses. “We could not think of a better way to leverage our relationship with the PGA TOUR than to bring professional golf to local communities,” said Michael Flanagan,President and General Manager of LOCALiQ’s Sports and Entertainment division. “As a comprehensive provider of digital marketing services, LOCALiQ enables local businesses and their communities to thrive.”

Tournament officials are rightfully proud of the caliber of golf courses secured in a short amount of time. Ohno said the Series’ goal has always been to provide players with high-quality venues that will give them a different look each week the Series plays. Testing the players’ skills on a variety of layouts was the goal as the Series put its schedule together.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the owners and operators who have stepped up and made their golf courses available to these players. Our aim is always to provide players with a PGA TOUR-like experience. I truly believe the players will be delighted each week when they arrive at the tournament sites,” Ohno added.

A complete list of players competing will be distributed in the coming weeks. 

LocaliQ Series Tournament Schedule

About PGA TOUR Latinoamérica - PGA TOUR Latinoamérica is a professional golf tour created in 2012 by the PGA TOUR in collaboration with promoters, clubs and national golf federations in Latin America. The inaugural season in 2012 featured 11 tournaments in seven countries in the Latin American region. Since then, it has grown to include 14 events across nine different countries in 2020. It will hold events in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the United States.

The leading points-earner at the end of each season is awarded the Roberto De Vicenzo Award, and the top-five money winners from the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

About the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada - The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada is a series of tournaments played across Canada each summer, where tomorrow’s stars begin the path to the PGA TOUR. The leading 10 point-earners at the end of each season earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following year. The Tour’s alumni include 41 PGA TOUR players and 232 Korn Ferry Tour players since 2013. The Mackenzie’s Tour mission is to provide a high-quality platform to produce alumni that move to the next level and eventually the PGA TOUR, while making a positive impact in the communities where tournaments are played.

About PGA TOUR Series-China - PGA TOUR Series-China is a professional golf tour, featuring open-competition to all nationalities. PGA TOUR Series-China attracts players, mainly from Asia and other Pacific Rim countries, although members have come from five continents. PGA TOUR Series-China is owned and operated by the PGA TOUR and sanctioned by the General Administration of Sport of China. It operates in partnership with the China Golf Association and Shankai Sports. The top-five points-earners from PGA TOUR Series-China earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

About LOCALiQ - LOCALiQ is Gannett Co., Inc.’s (NYSE: GCI) integrated marketing solutions brand that combines unique insights, intelligent technology, proven expertise and scalable results to drive smarter growth for businesses. Gannett has deep roots in more than 260 communities across the U.S. and around the globe, a key asset to helping businesses grow. LOCALiQ combines the power of its network, as well as marketing services from ReachLocal to create a seamless end-to-end experience for clients. For more information, visit www.localiq.com.