Tag Archives: golf

Nick Dunlap Signs With GSE Worldwide to Manage Golf Career

GSE Worldwide and Nick Dunlap are proud to announce that Dunlap has signed with GSE to manage his professional golf career, effective immediately. Dunlap recently made the decision to go pro on the heels of his thrilling win at the American Express, the first win by an amateur on the PGA TOUR in more than three decades since Phil Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Championship. He was also the youngest amateur to win an event since 1910. Dunlap’s victory gave him full membership status on the PGA TOUR through the 2026 season, allowing him to compete at every event on the tour.

Dunlap is just the second golfer in history to win both the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur championships, after Tiger Woods. He was also ranked as the number one junior golfer in the class of 2022, before committing to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide golf team.

“Going pro was a tremendously difficult decision to make on a number of levels, but once I decided to move forward signing with GSE was a much easier choice,” said Nick Dunlap. “I’m excited to join the GSE family and am confident that they’ll help me capably navigate my career both on and off the course.”

“Watching Nick learn and grow as a player has been amazing – while we all knew he would go pro one day, I don’t think that many realized how quickly it would arrive and how fast he has advanced his game,” added Kevin Canning, Senior Vice President of Golf Management, GSE Worldwide. “We’re proud to be a part of his team as he transitions to the professional level and look forward to helping him build his brand off of the course.”

FanDuel Introduces New TV Commercial with PGA TOUR Talent

FanDuel Group, the premier sports gaming destination in the United States, announced today a new television commercial, featuring golfers Abraham Ancer, Will Zalatoris, Harold Varner III, and current FanDuel PGA TOUR partner, Jordan Spieth. The spot will launch during this week’s U.S Open and air through February 2023.

The spot highlights FanDuel’s continued growth with the PGA TOUR relationship, leaning into FanDuel’s commitment to talent. In addition to appearing in FanDuel’s new commercial, Spieth, Ancer, Zalatoris and Varner III will partner with FanDuel on social media support, which will include odds boosts and content surrounding FanDuel Free-to-Play initiatives. As part of the partnership, FanDuel will also have access to the players’ names and likenesses.

“Golf continues to be one of the fastest-growing sports on our platform and, as we greatly value our partnership with the PGA TOUR, we are excited to grow our PGA TOUR program,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO of FanDuel Group. “Jordan has already been a fantastic partner and we look forward to expanding our golf ambassador roster with the addition of Abe Ancer, Will Zalatoris, and Harold Varner III.”

To celebrate the U.S. Open this week, new sportsbook customers can bet $5 and receive $200 in free bets. The offer ends June 21 and is available in all legal sports betting states where FanDuel Sportsbook operates. *

In December 2021, FanDuel and The PGA TOUR announced a three-year extension through 2024 to their content and marketing relationship designating FanDuel as an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR. In August 2021, FanDuel announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership with Jordan Spieth making FanDuel the exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy provider of Spieth. Lastly, in January 2021, FanDuel announced it will begin providing real-time highlights of PGA TOUR golf events to FanDuel Sportsbook app users.

U.S. Open Championship Audio Coverage, Exclusively on SiriusXM

SiriusXM announced today its extensive programming coverage for the 122nd U.S. Open Championship, which will be played June 16th-19th at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.  SiriusXM is the exclusive national radio broadcaster of the U.S. Open.

SiriusXM’s extensive production will provide listeners with more than 40 hours of live shot-by-shot coverage from the course across all four rounds of play.  On Thursday and Friday, with the full field on the course, SiriusXM’s coverage will extend from the day’s first tee time at 6:45 am ET through the end of play.  On the weekend, SiriusXM’s on-course coverage will begin at 10 am ET on Saturday and Sunday and run through the completion of play both days.  If a playoff occurs, SiriusXM will provide live coverage of every shot played. 

SiriusXM’s U.S. Open Championship broadcast team will feature play-by-play voice Brian Katrek and lead analyst Mark Carnevale.  Fred Albers, Carl Paulson, Dennis Paulson, John Maginnes and Andres Gonzales, who is new to the SiriusXM team, will be on-course reporters, following key playing groups.  Chantel McCabe, Jason Sobel and Taylor Zarzour will serve as hosts, provide leaderboard updates and conduct interviews with players.  Swing coach Jim McLean will provide reports from the range as players warm up for their rounds.

On Thursday and Friday, The Starter with Taylor Zarzour, Michael Breed and Greg DuCharme will be on live in the morning to provide coverage as the earliest groups tee off. 

Immediately following each round, listeners will hear a three-hour wrap-up of the day’s play, hosted by Drew Stoltz and Gary Williams.  Three-time U.S. Open Champion Hale Irwin will co-host the show after Sunday’s round.  The show will also feature hour-long appearances by major championship winners Juli Inkster, Scott Simpson, Craig Stadler and Dave Stockton.

PGA Tour players Jason Kokrak and Harold Varner III, both top-40 players who will be competing in this U.S. Open, will host new episodes of their SiriusXM shows.  Crushing It with Kokrak will air tonight at 7 pm ET, immediately followed by The HV3 Show at 8 pm ET.

World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples, who competed in 23 U.S. Open Championships, will host a new episode of The Fred Couples Show on Tuesday at 8 pm ET. 

The U.S. Open Championship, conducted by the USGA, is the ultimate test of golf for the best players in the world.  Played on America’s greatest courses, the U.S. Open annually provides thousands of golfers of all backgrounds the opportunity to qualify through a rigorous two-stage process.

In the days leading up to its U.S. Open coverage, and every week throughout the year, SiriusXM’s weekday golf programming lineup features live shows starting at 7am ET that offer news, analysis, expert instruction and more.  For more go to SiriusXM.com/golfonsxm.

U.S. Open programming on SiriusXM will air nationwide on channel 92 on SiriusXM radios.  Subscribers can also listen with the SXM App (siriusxm.us/SXMPGATourRadio), and with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream at home.  Streaming access is included with SiriusXM’s audio trials and most popular plans.

SiriusXM’s U.S. Open broadcast rights come through its agreement with the United States Golf Association and NBCUniversal, the principal domestic media partner of the USGA.

GSE Worldwide Signs 12-Year-Old Golf Phenom Xavier “Xeve” Perez for Exclusive Representation

Gatemore Sports & Entertainment Worldwide, Inc. (“GSE Worldwide”), one of the world’s leading athlete representation and sports and entertainment marketing businesses, today announced they have signed 12-year-old golfphenom Xavier “Xeve” Perez to an exclusive representation agreement. GSE Worldwide will handle all marketing, endorsements, licensing and merchandising, speaking engagements, and appearances for Perez, who has won over 300 junior golf tournaments. Brett Falkoff will lead the team working with Perez to help foster his young career both on and off the course.

GSE Worldwide has already helped to broker initial deals with Cobra Puma Golf, EasyPost, JumboMax, and international law firm, PGMBM, all of which have partnered with Perez. The agreements will help Perez to continue to pursue his passion and realize his dream of one day joining the PGA tour. As one of the top up-and-coming junior golfers in the country, Perez’s achievements include 2020 Hurricane Junior Golf Tour Georgia Junior Open 11- to 13-year-old Division Champion (at age 10), 2020 GSGA (Georgia State) Player of the Year 12- to 14-year-old division (at age 10), 2020 All Georgia Junior Team Selection, and 2021 VGA Georgia State Champion, amongst others.

“Xeve is an impressive young talent who shows great potential on and off the golf course. Everyone who meets Xeve is wowed by his magnetic personality. He’s unlike any 12-year-old I have ever met,” said Brett Falkoff of GSE Worldwide. “He hits the ball a mile, and when it comes to his short game, he has hands you don’t see in most kids his age. His larger-than-life personality and well-mannered demeanor will set him apart, and we feel that combined with his work ethic and passion for the game, it’s only a matter of time before he takes the golf world by storm.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Xeve to the Cobra Puma Golf family,” said Dan Ladd, President & GM, Cobra Puma Golf. “He is a fantastic talent and role model for other young players and will help us push the game forward, encouraging and inspiring the next generation of golfers. We are excited to be part of his journey.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of Xeve’s journey,” said EasyPost Founder and CEO, Jarrett Streebin. “He represents the core EasyPost values of persistence, humility, and generosity. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”

“After having the privilege of meeting Xeve and his family recently, it became immediately apparent that we wanted to support this exceptional young man in becoming the best golfer he can be. Additionally, we are thrilled to have Xeve represent the PGMBM brand and are excited to watch and be part of his growth in the coming years.”

“Team JumboMax would like to welcome Xavier Perez to the family – Xeve as all of his friends call him, exemplifies everything that is good in a young athlete and role model,” said John Mazzanoble of JumboMax Grips. “We are very excited to be part of his journey in the game of golf and life.”

For additional information on GSE Worldwide go to www.GSEWorldwide.com.

FanDuel Group Announces Multi-Year Partnership with Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth, three-time major champion, is joining the FanDuel Group team as part of an exclusive partnership with America’s #1 sportsbook.

This new partnership designates FanDuel, an official sports betting partner of the PGA TOUR, as the exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy provider for Jordan Spieth. As part of the relationship, Spieth will be featured in national television commercials and will be the face of FanDuel’s golf products. Spieth will work with FanDuel on content for social media and responsible gaming initiatives. FanDuel will also support the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation to continue its great work in the community.

“As the world of legal sports betting grows rapidly in the U.S, I’m incredibly excited about what’s happening in the space and the potential it has to bring new fans to the sport of golf,” said Jordan Spieth. “As the PGA Tour and others in the golf world have strongly embraced legalized sports gaming, I look forward to working with FanDuel to find unique ways to engage the fast-growing fanbase.”

Spieth’s golf career has been one of dominance from his days as a junior golfer to today, where he is one the most recognizable global stars. Very few golfers have entered the professional ranks with the poise and dominance of Jordan Spieth. He was the youngest player to win on the PGA TOUR in 82 years, when he won the John Deere Classic in 2013 at the age of 19.  At 21 years of age he won the 2015 Masters and the 2015 US Open and two years later he won the 2017 Open Championship.  2021 has been a great season for Jordan, who is currently 2nd on the Fed-Ex Cup rankings.  He has 9 Top-10 finishes this season, including earning his 12th PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open.   

“Golf is an incredibly popular sport on the FanDuel platform and we are always looking for new ways to engage the growing golf fanbase and community,” said Mike Raffensperger, Chief Marketing Officer of FanDuel Group. “As one of the most universally admired golfers at the top of his game, Jordan Spieth is a perfect fit for our first official golf partner and the face of golf at FanDuel.”

Spieth is the newest member of FanDuel’s deep roster of exclusive sports betting talent and influencers headlined by Pat McAfee. FanDuel has also formed exclusive sports betting partnerships with blue chip media companies like Pat McAfee Inc., Turner Sports and Bleacher Report. This is all in addition to FanDuel’s own sports betting and daily fantasy content offerings that includes numberFire, The Duel, an extensive podcast network with a total of seven podcasts and More Ways to Win on TVG. 

Veteran PGA TOUR Pro Kirk Triplett Forms Partnership With Dedication To Community

Dedication To Community (D2C), a national non-profit that educates and empowers communities on diversity, belonging, and equity, today announced a partnership with PGA Tour veteran golfer Kirk Triplett for the 2021 season. Triplett will carry D2C’s logo on his golf bag and will participate in awareness and education programs throughout the year. It is D2C’s first formal partnership in golf.   

“We welcome Kirk to our growing D2C family,” said M. Quentin Williams, Dedication To Community founder and CEO. “His visibility on the PGA TOUR, his passion on the topic of education and awareness tied to diversity and his compelling backstory will be essential in helping grow our mission of education, equity and beautiful listening by all.”

“I am tremendously excited to be working with Q. Williams and the team at D2C on this topic.” said Triplett. “I look forward to participating in more training and improving my understanding of all aspects of how law enforcement and communities interact. I intend to use my platform as a professional golfer to lead others in the golf world into this discussion, many of whom might not otherwise understand its importance. I want to promote and participate in the mission of change that D2C is bringing to communities across the country.”

Kirk and his wife Cathi had twin boys, Conor and Sam, in 1996 and then adopted their daughter Alexis (now 20) and son Kobe (now 18). Alexis’ birth parents are Latino; Kobe’s birth mother is Japanese, and his birth father is African American. As the parents of a racially diverse family, the Tripletts understand that social justice issues, especially the intersection of law enforcement and the communities they serve, affect all of us, not just those in the news. The publicity around the incidents in 2020 caused Kirk and Cathi to realize that an opportunity to educate and potentially unite people of diverse backgrounds was upon them. They realized that the discussions they were having at their own dinner table needed to be had by their peers in the golf community as well.

To facilitate these discussions Triplett placed a Black Lives Matter sticker on his PING golf bag at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in August. It generated a great deal of media interest. One of his quotes, “I actually googled, ‘what can a white guy do?’ caught the interest of a Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Football Hall of Fame member, and D2C board member, Donnie Shell. Shell reached out with an answer…join the player platform at D2C…and a conversation started between the Tripletts and D2C. The Tripletts eventually participated in a relationship training session and from there this partnership was born.

Kirk earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada Reno in 1985 and then turned professional. He joined the PGA Tour in 1990 and the PGA Tour Champions in 2012. He was a member of the Presidents Cup team in 2000 and is one of a small group of players that have won titles on all three sanctioned tours (Korn Ferry, PGA Tour, and PGA Tour Champions). The Tripletts have been residents of Arizona for more than 25 years. For more details please visit kirktriplett.com.

To date, D2C has worked with law enforcement agencies in several states across the U.S., including Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, the Carolinas, and at the FBI National Academy in Virginia, where Williams has been an instructor. In September, D2C expanded its reach to involve professional, collegiate, and K-12 athletes, adding former NFL executive Lamonte Winston (former Director of Player Engagement and Development, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Donnie Shell (Pittsburgh Steelers). Williams also announced in September a historic partnership with the Miami HEAT and the City of Miami Police Department and additional partnerships tied to athletes and teams are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. 

FanDuel Group to Deliver PGA TOUR Highlights to FanDuel Sportsbook Customers

Today, FanDuel Group announced they will begin providing real-time highlights of PGA TOUR golf events to FanDuel Sportsbook app users.

“We’re taking the FanDuel Sportsbook app experience beyond just placing a bet — now our customers will get the best TOUR highlights delivered to them each week to consume and act on,” said Adam Kaplan, GM/VP of Sports Content, FanDuel Group. “Part of our ongoing focus is providing a fully integrated experience that gives our customers the ability to follow and interact in real-time with the sports they care about.”

In August, FanDuel became an Official Betting Operator of the TOUR, which gives them rights in the United States to use TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms, plus content and video rights allowing FanDuel to create pre-game and post-game betting programming, as well as distribution of highlights to FanDuel Sportsbook users who have placed bets.

“We’re excited to further activate our Official Betting Operator marketing relationship with FanDuel by sharing TOUR highlights with their customers,” said Norb Gambuzza, SVP, Media and Gaming at the PGA TOUR. “Engaging new fans with PGA TOUR content is a top priority of our sports betting strategy and this innovation with FanDuel is a key step in that direction.”

Beginning this week with the TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open, FanDuel will utilize WSC Sports’ AI technology to deliver highlights to betting customers through FanDuel Sportsbook app notifications for each TOUR event in 2021. FanDuel customers will be able to view automated highlights through rich media push notifications, capitalizing on FanDuel’s vision to use in-game, real-time content to enhance the customer experience.

FanDuel Group will begin by delivering TOUR golf content, with the opportunity to expand into other sports. Video asset for download here.

FanDuel Sportsbook Becomes PGA TOUR Official Betting Operator

East Lake Golf Club (Wikimedia Commons/Cem0030)

he PGA TOUR and FanDuel Sportsbook agreed today on a multi-year content and marketing relationship designating FanDuel an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR.

By joining the TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program, FanDuel will have rights in the United States to use PGA TOUR marks, rights to advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms, plus content and video rights allowing FanDuel to create pre-game and post-game betting programming, as well as distribution of highlights to users who have placed bets. Additionally, the PGA TOUR and FanDuel will collaborate to deliver odds-based content to fans via TOUR Digital Platforms like PGATOUR.COM and the PGA TOUR app.

“We have long admired FanDuel’s brand, product and marketing strategies as well as the leadership position it has taken since the legalization of sports betting in 2018,” said Norb Gambuzza, SVP, Media and Gaming at the PGA TOUR. “We are excited to bring FanDuel into the PGA TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program as we continue to engage new fans in this rapidly growing space.”

FanDuel Sportsbook has seen substantial growth in golf gaming:
Golf has recorded the highest single event handle on FanDuel Sportsbook over nine of the last 12 Sundays.

FanDuel Sportsbook’s total golf handle in New Jersey in 2020 already has surpassed the total golf handle from 2019, even without thirteen weeks of PGA TOUR competitions during the shutdown.

“Golf interest is up on FanDuel, so we are excited to deepen our relationship with the PGA TOUR,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO FanDuel Group. “We will now be able to offer unique gaming experiences on our platform, special TOUR related promotions for our customers and an enhanced content experience across the TOUR’s properties to really prove to bettors across the nation that there are More Ways to Win at FanDuel.”

Following the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, the TOUR instituted an integrity program in collaboration with Genius Sports to protect its competitions from betting-related corruption. Later that year, the TOUR announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators all over the world.

The PGA TOUR is a Platinum Member of the National Council on Problem Gambling, committed to industry-leading responsible gaming practices.

Woods Masters Win Yield William Hill US Bettor James Adducci $1,275,000 Check

(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for William Hill US)

William Hill US today announced James Adducci, 39, of Wisconsin, as the winning bettor of the massive $1.19 million payout after Tiger Woods’s 2019 Masters Victory. Mr. Adducci placed an $85,000 bet on Tiger to win the 2019 Masters Tournament on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 14/1 (+1400) odds, at the William Hill Sports Book at SLS Casino which resulted in the largest golf payout in William Hill history.

To celebrate the win, Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US, and Paul Hobson, General Manager of SLS, presented Mr. Adducci with a check for $1,275,000 (inclusive of the 1,190,00 payout plus the original 85,000 stake) at the William Hill Sports Book at SLS Casino on Monday, April 15.

“This is a story for the ages,” said Asher. “Tiger climbs back to the top, and a guy from Wisconsin, on his first sports bet ever, wins over a $1 million betting on him. We congratulate both James and Tiger on their epic wins.”

“Golf was so special for my dad and I,” said Adducci. “To see Tiger win a major tournament for the first time in front of his kids meant a lot to me.”

Adducci flew to Vegas on the morning of Tuesday, April 9, to make the wager on Tiger, his first sports bet ever, before flying right back home.

Woods (credit: Keith Allison)

Mr. Million Dollar Fantasy Golf Winner

By @TheDailyPayoff

Million dollar Draft Kings US Open fantasy golf winner Carl Bassewitz (right) and his son, Beau, get a priceless experience, taking batting practice at Fenway Park in Boston a day after he visited the DK headquarters offices to accept ceremonial check and his winnings. Bassewitz won the $1M “Millionaire Maker” prize with a single $20 entry when Dustin Johnson three-putted the final hole at recent U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. He had picked Jordan Spieth to win over Johnson.

Tiger Not Like to Make US Open Cut

By Frank Scandale @FScandale @TheDailyPayoff

With 14 holes under his belt, Tiger Woods sits at +11 in the second round of the U.S. Open, near the bottom of the pack.

Trailed only by Ricky Fowler when he teed off this morning at Chambers Bay in Oregon, Woods’ quest for a 15th major will have to wait until another event.

As reported earlier, despite his 14 majors, his unparalleled history and the record holder of longest golfer in the World No. 1 spot, Woods’ odds no longer focus on whether he will win, but if he will even make the cut.

Woods was attempting yet another comeback to his old form, this time at the challenging course in Oregon that looks more like a British Open course than a US Open.

As previously reported, going off at 50-1 at Wynn Las Vegas to win the event outright, most of the focus is on whether he can make the cut, says Johnny Avello, director of Race and Sports Operations at Wynn Las Vegas.

“Even money, yes, to make the cut, and -120 to miss it,” Avello said. His reasoning? “First of all, Tiger is struggling with his game. He’s been there (at the course) for a while, maybe even a week, trying to get his game back to respectability.”

His 50-1 to win odds is probably more of a courtesy to how great a player he was. ”

“Back then, you’d be hard pressed to get 5 or 6-1 on him. But he’s not the same Tiger. He’s struggling to even make cuts. All that said, if he gets his game back to respectability and while I am not sure how many wins he will get, he is still Tiger Woods and he draws crowds.”

Avello had Rory McIlroy  as the favorite at 5-1, Jordan Spieth right behind at 7-1, then in the low double digits Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose, followed by a smattering of players at 20-1.

As of this writing, Speith was tied for the lead at -5.

Bovada sports betting also had Woods at even to make the cut and 40-1 to win. http://sports.bovada.lv/sports-betting/golf-pga.jsp They put the Mickelson, Spieth and McIlroy group as the favorites. (As of this writing, Mickelson was -3 and McIlroy -1). Woods missing the cut is the -130 favorite on that bet.

Woods is also offered at +8000 odds to shoot a hole in one at the U.S. Open this week, according to Bovada’s site.