PGA Tour Announces Fall Series Event Sponsored By RSM McGladrey

By Jon Show, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

RSM McGladrey was announced today as the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour Fall Series event in Sea Island, Georgia, scheduled for October 4-10. The Minnesota-based accounting and professional services firm is paying around $3-3.5M annually over three years for the sponsorship, said industry sources. The McGladrey Classic will be played at the Seaside Golf Course owned by Sea Island Co., and will have a $4M purse in its inaugural year. Golfer Davis Love III, whose foundation will be the host organization, is a longtime resident of Sea Island and will serve as tournament Chair. The deal was negotiated by Wasserman Media Group. RSM McGladrey, which was a PGA of America sponsor from ’06-09, held on-and-off-again talks with the PGA Tour as far back as early last year. The company has endorsement deals with golfers Zach Johnson, Natalie Gulbis and Chris DiMarco. Its marketing group is based in the southeast. Sea Island Co. has struggled financially in recent years; the resort’s Frederica Golf Course, where the PGA Tour originally planned the event, was repossessed in November by Wells Fargo.