Cisco partners with APGA Tour, adds ambassadors and helps launch junior series
The APGA Tour has gained a new partner.
The APGA, a non-profit committed to diversifying golf, and Cisco have teamed up to further enhance the APGA, its tour and its efforts in growing the game. The partnership includes four APGA members – Kevin Hall, Aaron Beverly, Olajuwon Ajanaku and current Michigan State senior Troy Taylor II (via NIL) – joining Cisco’s stable of ambassadors, which includes Viktor Hovland, Maverick McNealy, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang and APGA player Kamaiu Johnson.
“We are proud to expand our commitment to the sport of golf and work together with the APGA towards a shared vision of fostering greater inclusivity in the game we all love,” said Mark Patterson, SVP and Chief of Staff to the Chair and CEO at Cisco. “We are thrilled to welcome Kevin, Aaron, Troy and Olajuwon to Team Cisco and to support them as they work to achieve their goals both on and off the course. Today’s announcement marks another important step forward toward achieving our purpose to power a more inclusive future for all.”
Cisco will continue to serve as presenting sponsor of the Billy Horschel APGA Invitational, which begins Wednesday at TPC Sawgrass, but now will also become title sponsor of the Cisco Invitational at Baltusrol on Aug. 11-13 in New Jersey. Both events will feature significant purses while also offering participants enrichment and development opportunities off the course, professional and personal development sessions, mentoring opportunities and networking events with business and golf industry leaders.
Other new initiatives powered by Cisco will be the launch of a four-event APGA Junior Series and the creation of the Adrian Stills Award, named after the APGA’s co-founder, which will be awarded to the player who best exemplifies character and sportsmanship, as determined by a panel of judges and voted on by fellow players.
“Cisco has shown a true passion for helping create opportunities for players from diverse backgrounds and making an impact on the game as a whole,” said APGA Tour CEO Ken Bentley. “We are grateful for their support of the APGA with two headline events that will benefit our players from a competitive standpoint and will help them develop as people as well. With their additional support of youth in the game as well as recognizing the work our players are doing from a community impact perspective, Cisco is creating programs that showcase how the APGA Tour is creating change in the sport.”