The PGA Tour on Friday announced that AT&T “will take over as the title sponsor of the Byron Nelson Championship in 2015, the year after the event's contract with current sponsor HP expires,” according to Will Gray of GOLFCHANNEL.com. The move to AT&T “will mark the third shift in title sponsors in the last eight years for the Dallas, Tex.-based event, and fifth change since 2000.” The announcement means that AT&T's "already large presence in the game of golf will continue to grow.” AT&T, which is headquartered in Dallas, remains a “main corporate sponsor at The Masters in addition to serving as title sponsor for three other events, two on the PGA Tour and one on the Champions Tour.” The company’s “future sponsorship role with the AT&T National, however, remains in doubt after Friday's announcement” (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 11/30). The AP noted the title sponsorship deal for the AT&T National event “expires in 2014.” Tiger Woods Foundation President Greg McLaughlin, whose group organizes the AT&T National, was “optimistic AT&T would stay on as title sponsor after 2014.” McLaughlin said, “We're hopeful they're going to want to continue with the event. I know they like DC, and they like the event" (AP, 12/1). Salesmanship Club President Charley Spradley, whose group oversees the Nelson tournament, said that “extending the title sponsorship agreement through 2016 helps secure the event's future" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 11/30). ESPN DALLAS’ Richard Durrett noted AT&T also “is the title sponsor on the PGA Tour at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am” (ESPNDALLAS.com, 11/30).
