PGA TOUR, Astros Golf Foundation partner with Vivint to sponsor the Vivint Houston Open in 2020
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LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 09: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 9, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Astros Golf Foundation returns event to Memorial Park Golf Course for first time since 1963
The PGA TOUR announced that Vivint Smart Home, Inc., a leading smart home company in North America, will become title sponsor of the Houston Open for 2020 in support of tournament host and beneficiary, the Astros Golf Foundation. The Vivint Houston Open will be played November 5-8 and returns to Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston for the first time since 1963.
The Astros Golf Foundation, led by Houston Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane, operates and serves as the host organization for the event. The commitment to the Houston Open from the Astros Golf Foundation, with the support of a number of community partners, is in place through 2023. The Astros Golf Foundation recently completed a $34 million renovation to Memorial Park Golf Course over a two-year period in order to bring the tournament back to the heart of the city.
“The Houston Open has been a staple on the PGA TOUR calendar since 1946 and this year marks its celebrated return to Memorial Park Golf Course, thanks to the Astros Golf Foundation whose dedication to community is unmatched in Houston,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “We are thrilled to partner with Vivint whose enthusiasm and innovative thinking allowed us to finalize this partnership just a month before the tournament.”
All four rounds of the Vivint Houston Open will be televised on the Golf Channel, featuring a 132-player field, 500 FedExCup points and a $7 million purse.
“We are excited to bring the Houston Open back to the City of Houston’s Memorial Park Golf Course,” says Giles Kibbe, President Astros Golf Foundation. “We recognize this is a unique year and are appreciative of Vivint for their support in Houston in 2020 and their commitment to helping us serve our community through the game of golf.”
“We’re proud to partner with the PGA TOUR and the Astros Golf Foundation for this incredible event,” said Todd Pedersen, CEO of Vivint Smart Home. “Giving back is a core company value for Vivint so we’re delighted to participate in a charitable effort that will benefit one of our flagship markets.”
The Houston Open was first played in 1946, with the inaugural event captured by Byron Nelson at River Oaks Country Club. Other notable winners throughout the 72-year history of the event include World Golf Hall of Fame members Arnold Palmer, Jack Burke, Jr., Bobby Locke, Cary Middlecoff, Gary Player, Curtis Strange, Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. Most recently, Lanto Griffin won the 2019 Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston. One of Houston’s premier sporting events, the tournament has also made significant contributions to the Houston community, raising more than $69 million for charitable causes.