Sometimes all you need is for someone to open up a door for you. What you do when you walk through is up to you, but when you’re on the brink of potential you just need that small little nudge to get you on the right track.
In golf we call that little nudge a sponsor exemption or invitation.
This occurs when a course or tournament sponsor grant a spot to a small number of players to compete, primarily used to bolster fields, give a brand a certain level of exposure, and engage audiences with new, up and coming talent.
From legends of the game like Tiger Woods and Lexi Thompson to most the recent PGA TOUR winner Michael Brennan and now Kai Trump, these special invitations have always played a role in our game.
It’s less about giving special treatment and more so granting exposure to young players who will impact the next generation of golf talent.
In his first professional start, the kid from VA made great use of his invitation putting on an absolute show at the Bank of Utah Championship. With a final round 65 he captured the title by a commanding four strokes margin. Brennan can now skip the TOUR’s main developmental circuit, the Korn Ferry Tour and head straight to the big leagues.
He also just made a little history and played his way onto an extremely coveted list of sponsor exemptions who have won on the PGA TOUR—joining the likes of Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott.
In the world of women’s golf, it was recently announced that the granddaughter of the President of the United States, Kai Trump is set to make her LPGA debut in a few short weeks at the The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
In a time where the Trump name garnishes an infinite amount of attention, this move by the golf course to get more eyes on the penultimate event of the LPGA season, named after women’s golf icon Annika Sörenstam, is indeed a good one.
This is most certainly a case of “all press is good press”. If you type in “LPGA” into Google right now, it’s the commanding headline.
“Sponsor invitations are an important way to spotlight emerging talent and bring new attention to our tournaments and the LPGA,” said Ricki Lasky, LPGA Chief Tour Business and Operations Officer in the official announcement.
“Kai’s broad following and reach are helping introduce golf to new audiences, especially among younger fans. We’re excited to see her take this next step in her journey, and we’re proud to work closely with our partners in Tampa Bay whose continued commitment to advancing the women’s game helps elevate the LPGA and expand its visibility.”
