THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us here at TPC Louisiana and the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. My name is Michael Baliker with the PGA TOUR, and I'm honored to be a part of today's exciting announcement. I'll introduce our four guests here with us today. Starting to my left, Steve Worthy, who is the CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation and tournament director this week; Kristof Terryn, CEO of Zurich North America; PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan; and finally, the only player to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in both the individual and team format, 2013 and 2018 champion and Zurich golf ambassador, Billy Horschel.
Kristof, if you can take us away with today's exciting news.
KRISTOF TERRYN: Thank you for the introduction, and welcome, everybody. Thanks for being here with us this afternoon. We have some exciting news to share today. We're actually announcing that we are going to extend our title sponsorship of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans through 2030, so January 1, '27, through the end of 2030. We are very, very excited about this.
You all know we've been the title sponsor as one of the longest standing sponsors of the PGA TOUR since 2005. Just a few months before Katrina, that's when we started our commitment to New Orleans and the PGA TOUR here. We've stood by the city since then, so it has been 21 years. Now, 2020 during COVID the tournament didn't take place, but we continued our commitment to the city and working with the Fore!Kids Foundation.
It's been terrific to see the impact that we've had on the city here over the years, the impact we've had on the lives of young children, as well, the fundraising that we've done together with the Fore!Kids Foundation.
For us it's been terrific to work with Jay and the team at the PGA TOUR, with Steve of the Fore!Kids Foundation. It's been a wonderful, wonderful experience. For us to be able to extend that, this great unique tournament, it's special for us but also for our customers and brokers with whom we can connect here during the Classic.
We're looking forward to the next couple of years and going from strength to strength.
Might be a little bit hard to top last year's nail biter of a playoff, but let's see what the next couple of days brings.
THE MODERATOR: Kristof, thank you for that. Jay, if you can speak to obviously a significant renewal and just the long-standing partnership the TOUR has had with Zurich.
JAY MONAHAN: Yeah, first I want to start off by thanking Kristof. It's an honor to be here in New Orleans. It's an honor to be up here on stage to be part of this exciting announcement and to be able to talk about a partnership that has been so strong, so resilient, so enduring, and to think about what we've accomplished together.
For Zurich to be committed to this event for 20 years -- at the back end of this, we'll celebrate our 25th anniversary, and to see the way that they have rallied their company and all their partners behind this great event has been really extraordinary to see. The impact it's had on the Zurich brand and the Zurich business is something that we are really, really proud of.
To think about impact, Kristof mentioned it, but in the first year of their title sponsorship, it was the year of Hurricane Katrina, and not only did they stand by New Orleans, they stepped up and did -- they were a truly extraordinary partner to the city.
I think that's why we see the incredible following that we have here at the Zurich Classic.
Thanks to you, Kristof and everybody associated with Zurich Insurance.
I also want to thank this community. We're really proud to be in New Orleans. We've been playing PGA TOUR golf here back to 1938, which is pretty extraordinary. Bringing the brightest and best stars in the game to New Orleans each and every year has been a real honor for us, and we feel like we're a huge part of this community, a great community. We're embraced, and Billy will speak to this, but our players are so grateful for that embrace that they receive every single year and the great crowds that support them and cheer them on.
The event at Zurich's direction and with Steve's leadership continues to innovate. It continues to adapt. It continues to evolve. I think this team format has just been tremendous, the only team event on the PGA TOUR FedExCup schedule.
We had a dramatic moment last year. We've had a lot of dramatic moments. Rory and Shane coming back here and defending is pretty extraordinary, and we'll all remember not only their on-course performance last year but also their off-course performance, which has become something of legend. But that's the spirit of New Orleans and that's the spirit of this event.
You talk about impact, we've raised since Zurich's involvement over $30 million for and through the Fore!Kids Foundation, $3.3 million raised last year. This event since Zurich's inception has had a $700 million economic impact on New Orleans. That's the tangible side. The intangibles are even greater.
Those are all numbers that we all should be very proud of and proud of from the standpoint of we know we're going to continue doing that through at least 2030, which is absolutely tremendous.
I just want to recognize the Fore!Kids Foundation. I talk about 1938; a lot of the leaders with Fore!Kids have been involved with this event -- I was talking to Darrah earlier. He's been involved since 1992. It just shows you the commitment that they have, which is really, really extraordinary.
So thank you to the Fore!Kids Foundation. I also want to recognize Billy McGriff and Ben Gannett with CAA who have been involved since day one with Zurich, and they've been tremendous partners to this tournament, as well.
I'm going to turn it back over to the leader of this great event and someone that I and we are very proud to partner with in Steve Worthy.
THE MODERATOR: Jay alluded to the community impact and what this does for the Fore!Kids Foundation, if you could --
STEVE WORTHY: Absolutely. Very excited to be able to represent the Fore!Kids Foundation on a very big day for us. The stability we've had with Zurich has been unbelievable, and I always hope that it never, ever, ever gets lost, the impact that Zurich has had on our community and our region.
The numbers Jay mentioned, incredible economic impact, dollars raised for charity. It's been phenomenal. Thank you to Kristof and to all of our partners, the PGA TOUR. It's been a great run, and we look forward to continuing it.
Our members take this mission of raising money for children's charities in this area, in this region very, very seriously. Every year it drives home to me in the weeks leading into the tournament the amount of time and effort that our members dedicate to making sure that they put on the best event humanly possible. Certainly we want to make our partners with Zurich and the PGA TOUR proud and end up with a great product, and we've just continued to grow. It's been a wonderful run.
The charitable impact was $3.3 million last year. $22.9 million in the last 10 years. It's very significant. In New Orleans we have a lot of need. So our ability to continue to raise those dollars and impact the lives of children is a huge thing. You know, that's certainly very important.
One of the things that I think really resonates with our membership and all of the people locally is Zurich really seems to love and care and has somewhat adopted New Orleans. We all take great pride in where we live. We all have our challenges, and the fact that Zurich has the feeling they really, truly care about our impact and what we're able to do, and it really, I think, drives our membership and our volunteers to work that much harder to do the best that we can.
Really look forward to the future. It's been a wonderful partnership, and we look forward to what's coming in the future: Continued growth.
THE MODERATOR: Billy, if you could speak to your unique Zurich partnership and your relationship there and what it's meant to have played in this event over the years and being the champion here twice.
BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I've been a Zurich ambassador now for 13 years, and it's been an unbelievable relationship that I've had. As I've said many a times, there's a lot of great sponsors on the PGA TOUR, but I don't think there's a better one than Zurich in the sense of what they do here in New Orleans and then what I do with them away from here with their customers and clients. Their executives love coming down here, being a part of the community, giving back.
As Steve said, they are adopted Cajun here in the New Orleans area. I feel like I can say I'm an adopted Cajun, as well, winning here twice and having the support I do. So to see Zurich extend their partnership through 2030 is tremendous.
We as players, there's a lot of great events that we get to play. I'm not sure there's many better than this that treat not just -- that treat every player wonderful here, and that goes to Steve and the Fore!Kids Foundation and looking after every player. If we need reservations, they're always helping us with that. I think, like I said, Zurich and their customers, clients, their executives love seeing all the fans come out. They love seeing all the players.
I think the change in format to a team format has really elevated this event. To be honest with you, if this was an individual event, would Rory have come and played here last year? Who knows the answer, but I know he does enjoy coming here now, playing with Shane, being in this event. When you have an opportunity to play with a friend or a compatriot or someone that is a really great player, it makes it even more exciting. You've seen the turnout with the fans from that and the support they've given this event.
Thank you to Zurich for everything they've done for this event. They've been a tremendous sponsor. They believe in the PGA TOUR. They believe in the city of New Orleans, and they believe in us as players in the sense of continuing to support us for the years to come.
Q. There are a lot of tournaments that are known for different things out on the PGA TOUR. When players talk to you about the Zurich Classic, what do you tell them? What is sort of the reputation, if you will, inside the locker room of this event?
BILLY HORSCHEL: Well, the food at the golf course and away from the golf course is tremendous, so expect to gain a few pounds this week.
I just think that, as I've said, I think from the Fore!Kids Foundation side, from the Zurich side, everyone who's involved in this event, they treat everyone tremendously well, and I think as a player, we get spoiled. We get to go to some unbelievable places and we get treated tremendously well a lot of different places, but this one, I think it's over the top because I think it's that Cajun culture. They want you to come in, experience their city, their food, their lifestyle. They want you to be a part of it and they welcome you with open arms.
I think that's what makes this event truly special, and that's why I've been -- take away my Zurich ambassadorship; that's why I've always been a big believer in this event and tell people you've got to go play. It's just a fun event to experience, and if you go play one time, I think you're going to continue to come back.
Q. Steve, how gratifying is it to have Rory here this week as the Masters champion, and did you have any moment of worry or panic last Sunday that he might be otherwise engaged and not able to come along?
STEVE WORTHY: Well, I worry about everything, but certainly it's phenomenal. The success last year, the fact that we knew they had a great time last year played in our favor. It elevated our event. We've had continued growth over the last five years, but that took us to another level.
We were well ahead of pace from a sales standpoint this year over last year, and then the win at the Masters just takes us to another level.
You know, always concerned. Didn't want to put too much pressure on him. I tried to stay out of it and let him get his wits about him after the emotional win, and thank goodness they're back to defend, and looking forward to them having another great week.
Q. Jay, you kind of touched on this, but can you talk about the importance of having this event on the schedule? It's the only team event and it's unique.
JAY MONAHAN: Yeah, I think Billy -- you can't say it any better than Billy just said it, which is this is an event as a team event that provides an opportunity that you just don't get week to week on the PGA TOUR. When players set their schedule at the beginning of the year knowing that they can come and play in the Zurich Classic and they -- the work that's done to get in position to have your partner commit to you and you commit to your partner is probably one of the better underlying stories that happens each year, and players show up here knowing that this is -- one, they're playing against a great field, that the list of champions that have won here and have won on the team side of it, and to be able to play in a different format for that one week and to do so in a highly competitive but a fun atmosphere I think has just differentiated this event on the PGA TOUR.
I think it's perfectly positioned on the calendar, and I think on top of all of it, what we're talking about here today and knowing that you've got a great committed global company behind this event the way that Zurich is and the way that everybody is treated, all the players are treated I think just make this for a really special week. Therefore it's an extremely important event on the PGA TOUR.
KRISTOF TERRYN: I think the decision to move to that team-based format in 2017 was probably one of the best decisions that we made because it is really fun to see the players teaming up. It's fun to see the camaraderie on the course, as well. It probably makes Steve a little bit less worried that people will not cancel because you made a commitment to a partner. It's really been great for us, so this format works really, really well.
Q. Jay, I know you can't go anywhere without people asking you about the current state of professional golf, but what does it say from your perspective to have a long-term sponsor recommitting to a long-term sponsorship of an event that has a lot of history on the PGA TOUR?
JAY MONAHAN: Well, when you look at the PGA TOUR, this is the hardest tour in the world to get on. It's the hardest tour in the world to stay on. It's the hardest tour in the world to compete on. It's the hardest tour in the world to win on. That competitive platform, that enduring competitive platform, 56 years in operation, continues to prove and continues to attract fans from around the world.
To look at what's happening this week -- the reason I mention those attributes of the PGA TOUR, that's what attracts the likes of great companies in Zurich who compete every single day and do it in their own unique way. They can apply the uniqueness of their brand to this event and to the PGA TOUR and be able to tell their story around purpose, be able to share their values, and be able to showcase their brand to fans around the world, millions of fans around the world.
That's what this speaks to. That's what this day signifies.
To have 40 percent of our partners committed to the PGA TOUR for 15 plus years I think is an extraordinary statement about the state of the PGA TOUR, and I just want to thank Zurich and Kristof for getting us to this position today and everybody that we've previously thanked.
Q. Relatively similar question, but I think two years ago there was a lot of talk about sustainability and purses rising and all of these things, and to be able to sit here and announce an extension, what does that say about the sustainability of the PGA TOUR and its format and where you're at with these partnerships?
JAY MONAHAN: Listen, we're on the right track. You've heard me talk about momentum. You've been hearing me talk about momentum for over a year, and it's real. When you talk about momentum, and this is what we're going to see here this week, this platform -- it all starts with the competitive platform and what's happening inside the ropes. There have been some tremendous storylines this year, some tremendously compelling finishes, and it all speaks to the want and the desire of the greatest players in the world, all of whom play on the PGA TOUR.
So that is what continues to be the enduring element of this organization. It's the enduring element of this game.
To be able to be here today and to, again, announce a partnership that will now celebrate its 25th anniversary at the back end of this, I think it speaks to the beauty of the game and the beauty of this platform. I just can't wait to see what's going to happen at this event from this week all the way through 2030.
Q. Jay, spinning this a little bit forward to East Lake, there's been a lot of talk about changing that format. Would you look at what's happening here as maybe a litmus test of what the TOUR might be considering for the TOUR Championship?
JAY MONAHAN: I think from the moment that Zurich, the Fore!Kids Foundation, we as partners made this change and fully committed to a team event on the PGA TOUR in the core of the FedExCup schedule, I think the impact of that on all of our tournaments and the need to evolve, the need to innovate, and on our organization being able to do something that at the time a lot of people didn't think -- didn't understand or had a lot of questions about, it gives everyone the confidence to be able to respond to our fans and to be able to continue to evolve and adapt and continue to improve and make certain that we're where our fans want us to be.
When you think about innovation, I think of this event and Zurich as being one of the great contributors over the last several years to the innovation that you're seeing on the PGA TOUR today.
THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, it's certainly an exciting day not only for Zurich but the Fore!Kids Foundation, the PGA TOUR and the entire New Orleans community, so thank you all for taking the time to participate in today's announcement and let's go have a great tournament.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports