BRADENTON, Fla. ― For at least three more times, The Concession Golf Club and World Champions Cup will remain playing partners.
Coming off a successful 2023 debut, the three-day PGA Tour Champions competition involving Team USA, Team Europe, and Team International has agreed to a multi-year extension to return to The Concession in 2024, 2025, and 2028. The second annual World Champions Cup will be contested Dec. 5-8, 2024, and will air once again on ABC and ESPN. Host courses for the 2026 and 2027 tournaments will be announced at a later date.
“The inaugural World Champions Cup was a terrific success, and we are eager to see this event continue to expand in 2024 and beyond,” said Miller Brady, the president of PGA Tour Champions. “The Concession proved to be a terrific host venue, and the course provided a stern test of golf for the best players in the world, setting up a dramatic finish on Sunday that came down to the final hole. We are looking forward to returning to Bradenton the next two years, as well as in 2028.”
In the debut event, which featured team formats and singles play, with points earned for each hole won, Team USA won with 221 points, two better than Team International. Team Europe finished third with 208 points. All three team captains will return, with Jim Furyk leading Team USA, Ernie Els for Team International, and Darren Clarke for Team Europe. Peter Jacobsen will return as tournament chairman.
“Being part of the first World Champions Cup was a career highlight for me because it was a concept that my friend Charlie Besser and I had envisioned for so many years,” Jacobsen said, “and it was truly special to see it come to fruition in such a successful manner. I’m excited to return as chairman and to see this event continue to grow on the world golf stage.”
The event proved popular with both players and captains.
“I’ve got to honestly say that this was probably the most fun of all the teams I’ve been on,” said Team USA player Steve Stricker, who previously had served as captain in six Presidents Cups and four Ryder Cups.
“What a week, what a format,” said Els. “This thing works.”