PGA Tour Finds Its Bunker in Sponsorship Fallout

As was widely predicted, Buick has ended its sponsorship agreements with the PGA Tour, including the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines.

On Wednesday, the Greenbrier, a resort nestled in West Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and a former secret Cold War bunker for Congress, is expected to announce a new event on the PGA Tour, replacing the tournament that has been known as the Buick Open. Greenbrier owner, Jim Justice, and five-time British Open champion Tom Watson will host a news conference at the resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Greenbrier now gives tours of the bunker, which has been declassified after 30 years of use.

Buick’s sponsorship of the PGA Tour dates back to the 1951 Buick Open and it was the official car of the PGA Tour. The automaker once had its name on five PGA Tour events, including four tournaments in one year, but like many other title sponsors has scaled back or curtailed their investment altogether amid the recession. The PGA Tour now has lost four title sponsors this year including both Buick events, U.S. Bank in Milwaukee and Stanford Financial in Memphis.