Another five-year title sponsorship agreement signed and sealed means the Constellation Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champion event can start to look forward to a future.
That future will include a new venue in 2026, since the Timuquana Country Club declined last year to renew beyond the original five-year contract.
The PGA Tour Champions, Constellation and the Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation announced the sponsorship extension through 2030 on Thursday during a news conference on the back porch of the Timuquana’s stately clubhouse, overlooking the St. Johns River and its breathtaking view of downtown Jacksonville.
Constellation Furyk & Friends fan guide: How to arrive, how to enjoy PGA Tour Champions event
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan joined the event and praised the tournament for its $8 million annual economic impact and $3.5 million contribution to area charities in its first three years.
“I’m excited this fantastic event is going to be staying in the Jacksonville community for years to come,” she said. “Without local ties, Constellation has chosen to invest in Jacksonville, bringing significant business and economic benefits to our city. The Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation has made a tremendous impact over the entire region and we’re incredibly fortunate to have them as part of our community.”
Furyk & Friends will be at Timuquana two more years
The view everyone at the news conference enjoyed will change after the 2025 tournament.
Where it will be is unknown at this time, but tournament officials agree about two things: there are good options for where the event will be played from 2026-2030 and Constellation wouldn’t have moved forward with an extension if there wasn’t confidence a suitable course could be procured.
“To us that renewal of the title sponsorship is about the success we’ve had,” said Jim McHugh, executive vice-president and chief communications officer at Baltimore-based Constellation. “It’s been great here at Timuquana. It’s been a wonderful venue for the players, fans and everything. We’re confident this is going to continue to be a successful event and we’re very confident we’re going to be able to grow the impact that we’ve had so far.”
Jim Furyk said there ‘a number of good options’
Jim Furyk, the 17-time PGA Tour winner and 2003 U.S. Open champion who is the tournament host with his wife, said they’re “working through the process,” in finding a new course.
“I think it’s probably putting the cart before the horse right now to talk about the future and where we’re going,” he said. “But I know we have a number of good options. I think as we’re sitting here, to really thank Timuquana for getting us this start, getting us running. The players love this place. I’m confident that the future, our next stop, our next home, will be very good as well.”
One option being considered is the Glen Kernan Country Club, presently undergoing a renovation that Furyk is supervising. Other possibilities are the San Jose Country Club, like Timuquana a Donald Ross-designed course more than 100 years old, or the Sawgrass Country Club, which hosted the Furyk & Friends for 10 years from 2011-2020 when it was a two-day charitable event.
The operations of the tournament and amenities given to players, pro-am partners and friends will transcend the venue, according to Champions Tour player Justin Leonard
“I think guys will continue to support this event regardless of where we play,” he said. “I also trust Jim and Tabitha to find a golf course that they can do all the things they want to from a sponsor’s standpoint, a golf course that we’ll enjoy playing. Ultimately it’s about supporting them and what they’re trying to do.”
Champions Tour players voted Furyk & Friends the best tournament stop on the schedule in 2022.
Constellation entering a third decade in golf
The energy company sponsored the Senior Players Championship from 2007-2018 and has one of Furyk’s sponsors as a PGA Tour player.
Title sponsors can come and go in professional golf. It’s rare for one company to stay involved as long as Constellation has.
“Amazing,” said Tabitha Furyk about Constellation’s commitment to the tournament. “As a foundation, it’s incredible. Looking to the future and knowing what we can do is just remarkable. We’re very pleased.”
Mayor Deegan said Constellation’s future with the tournament goes hand-in-hand with what the Furyk Foundation’s mission has been.
“The investment from Constellation would not be possible without Jim and Tabitha,” Deegan said. “Their foundation’s efforts reach more than just this event. They’ve invested heavily in local causes, from youth and families to health and housing to animal rescue and the environment. Jim and Tabitha’s work inspires us all to be better.”
The Furyk & Friends tournament will begin on Friday. Tickets are available at constellationfurykandfriends.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: PGA Tour Champions Furyk & Friends, Constellation renew title sponsorship
