It is now official. After several days of rumors, the Piedmont Triad Charitable Foundation, which puts on the annual golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club, announced Aug. 12 the new sponsor of what until Aug. 11 was the Wyndham Championship. Beginning in 2027, Raymond James will be the new sponsor of the tournament now called GO by Raymond James. The name is a nod to the original name, Greater Greensboro Open, or GGO.
Perhaps the more important information to local residents — the tournament will stay at Sedgefield.
Even more good news, GO by Raymond James will be part of the new PGA Tour Championship Series beginning in 2028.
This is a major upgrade to the former GGO, which was formed at Sedgefield in 1938.
“We wanted to be one of the big deals in the state,” said Mark Brazil, CEO, Piedmont Triad Charitable Foundation of the group’s year-long search for a new sponsor. “We worked hard on that. We wanted to stay here. There will be some work done on the course over the next couple of years.”
Brazil believes the new tournament will be one the top players will want to play. Currently, some sit out various tournaments.
“I don’t have to recruit golfers anymore and I don’t have to give any more exemptions,” he said.
As one of the longest-running stops on the PGA Tour, the Greensboro-area event has been a mainstay on the schedule since its inception in 1938. GO by Raymond James will still be the regular-season finale contest and be contested Aug. 2-8, 2027, as a full-field event with broadcast coverage on CBS, Golf Channel and three properties produced by PGA Tour Studios — PGA Tour Live on the ESPN App, PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM and the World Feed.
“The PGA Tour’s Greensboro event has one of the richest histories in men’s professional golf and we are proud to continue building on its longstanding legacy and local charitable impact with the support of our new partners at Raymond James,” said Dhruv Prasad, PGA Tour Chief Commercial Officer. “Greensboro has supported the PGA Tour for nearly nine decades, and we are excited to launch this new chapter by bringing the best players in the world to the Piedmont Triad region.”
The PGA Tour Championship Series will feature the top performers competing head-to-head across the season. There will be approximately 23-24 events, including The Players Championship, major championships, postseason and international team events (Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup). The season will run from February through August. The purse will be between $20 and $30 million compared to this year’s purse of $8.5 million.
The recent $40 million funding from the State of North Carolina came at just the right time. To get the funding — $10 million a year for four years — Greensboro had to have a top-tier event. With the Championship Series designation, it certainly is top-tier.
The complete 2028 Championship Series schedule will be announced at a later date.
The Greensboro area event has been a mainstay in Central North Carolina for nearly 90 years, with PGA legends including Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan all earning victories at the event. Snead, who won the inaugural event in 1938, shares the PGA Tour record with Tiger Woods — whose only Sedgefield appearance was in 2015 — for most wins all-time (82), as well as most wins in a single event with his record eight victories in Greensboro, including his final Tour win in 1965.
“The PGA has extensive history in Greensboro and central North Carolina, and we are eager to watch its next chapter unfold alongside our new partners at Raymond James,” said Brazil. “Since this event was founded in 1938, all the greats have played here, including 19 World Golf Hall of Famers that have won. Our history led us to this point, and we are also excited to continue working with Travel + Leisure Co. as we move to the PGA Tour Championship Series in 2028.”
The tournament has been a driving force for good across central North Carolina since its founding, with the Piedmont Triad Charitable Foundation supporting local programs that promote youth and education along with community development. The nonprofit’s support of its backpack charities has provided more than 1 million meals to thousands of Piedmont Triad families since the program’s inception, in addition to supporting First Tee — Triad, Western North Carolina hurricane relief and several other initiatives. Under Raymond James leadership, the firm will expand its Ready for School initiatives with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to students across the area.
Raymond James Financial, Inc. is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The firm is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RJF. Additional information is available at www.raymondjames.com.