Tour event in Mexico helps drive game in Latin America

by Everett Munez, Global Golf Post

As the oldest PGA Tour event played outside of the U.S. and Canada, the World Wide Technology Championship symbolizes the global growth of the game.

The WWTC, set for November 7-10, will be played for a second consecutive year at El Cardonal at Diamante, a Tiger Woods design in Cabo San Lucas on the tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Since the inaugural WWTC in 2007, golf has exploded in Latin America. The PGA Tour has added a second event in Mexico: the Mexico Open at Vidanta, formerly part of the developmental Latinoamérica Tour, now known as PGA Tour Americas, and with a history dating to 1944. The Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas hold tournaments in the region. Millions of dollars have been raised for local causes. But none of this would have been possible without the WWTC.

"All of that growth has been a result of a lot of effort to continue to grow the game," said Joe Mazzeo, the WWTC's tournament director. "But somebody had to be first, and this golf tournament was first in planting a flag in the region."

However, the tournament briefly was left without a home after 2022 when LIV Golf announced a deal to play at Mayakoba Resort's El Camaleón course, which was designed by LIV CEO Greg Norman. So, the WWTC moved from the Yucatán Peninsula to Diamante Cabo San Lucas in 2023. For this, Mazzeo largely credits World Wide Technology, the title sponsor since 2021.

"Having World Wide Technology's support through that transition and then staying committed to the PGA Tour and their event just speaks volumes," Mazzeo said.

WWT, based in St. Louis, Missouri, is a global technology-solution provider for companies such as NVIDIA and Cisco. The company places a large emphasis on artificial intelligence and advancing technology.

Matt Horner, executive vice president of global enterprise at WWT, says the company became interested in a PGA Tour title sponsorship because of the combination of business and charity. Though WWT continues to be involved in other PGA events, a title sponsorship gives the company greater brand recognition and connections with members of the C-suite.

Horner says the charitable aspect of the PGA Tour is also attractive. Since its inception, the WWT Championship has raised more than $3 million for charities.

"When you look at the philanthropic part of the PGA Tour, and that being in our DNA since our inception in 1990, it was a good match," Horner said.

Horner said WWT had options to title-sponsor tournaments in the United States, but the company ultimately chose Mexico.