PGA TOUR Providing ShotLink Scoring System at PGA Championship
Highlights new multi-year collaborative agreement between PGA of America, PGA TOUR
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 4, 2014) – The PGA TOUR and PGA of America announced today a multi-year agreement by which the TOUR will provide full ShotLink implementation at the PGA Championship, beginning with this week’s Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
ShotLink is the TOUR’s proprietary real-time scoring system that captures multiple data points on every shot struck during competition, which in turn translates into thousands of statistics and enhanced television graphics that provide far greater insight into player performance and golf course playability. The PGA TOUR is providing the necessary staff to operate ShotLink while the PGA of America is providing the nearly 300 volunteers required to operate lasers and collect data as walking scorers during all four rounds.
“The PGA of America is pleased to partner with ShotLink to capture the best of the PGA Championship, beginning with the collection of data that showcases the skills of the strongest field in golf, to providing fans on the course or at home the minute-by-minute drama as it unfolds,” said PGA of America Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh. “The PGA Championship is all about delivering the best experience to our fans and we look forward to Shotlink sharing that commitment to provide major championship excellence.”
This agreement is a further expansion of the cooperative initiatives between the two organizations announced last November by PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem and PGA of America President Ted Bishop.
“Since its introduction in 2001, ShotLink has become the benchmark of scoring in professional golf,” said Ty Votaw, Chief Marketing Officer for the PGA TOUR. “We are extremely pleased to have collaborated with the PGA of America to bring ShotLink to the PGA Championship and excited to see the deep insight it will provide. We continue to learn more and more about player performance and golf course trends through the data collection process and are confident the presence of ShotLink will greatly enhance the analysis overall understanding of competition during the PGA Championship.”
About the PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, NEC Series-PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.
The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2013, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $134 million for local and national charitable organizations and in early 2014 the TOUR’s all-time charitable contributions surpassed $2 billion.
The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
Contact:
Chris Smith Jamie Carbone
PGA TOUR PGA of America
904-273-3379 561-352-8963