Thrive
Skechers steps in as title sponsor for World Champions Cup
Feather Sound to host PGA TOUR Champions event in December, with Shriners Children’s as charity partner.
The World Champions Cup, a PGA TOUR Champions global team event, will return to the Tampa Bay area this winter with new backing and a new home. Skechers has been named title sponsor of the three-day competition, now officially called the Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s.
The tournament will be played Dec. 4–7 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater. Shriners Children’s, headquartered in Tampa, joins as official charity partner, hosting its own celebrity pro-am and overseeing the volunteer program.
The event, modeled after the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, debuted in Bradenton in 2023 but was postponed last year due to weather concerns. Feather Sound’s par-72, 7,332-yard course is considered one of the most challenging private layouts in the region and previously hosted the Aramco Team Series sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
Michael Greenberg, Skechers president, said the company views the title sponsorship as a natural extension of its golf push. The brand will open an on-site pop-up shop and sponsor the Skechers VIP hospitality suite.
Shriners Children’s will serve as beneficiary and host of the Shriners Children’s Celebrity Classic on Dec. 1. Dr. Leslie D. Stewart, chairman of the board of trustees, said the partnership reflects the nonprofit’s long-standing ties to the PGA TOUR.
Feather Sound owner Dale Schmidt said the chance to host legends of the game “up close and personal” will be a special moment for the club and the community. PGA TOUR Champions president Miller Brady added that Tampa Bay’s strong golf culture makes it a fitting host.
ABC and ESPN will broadcast the matches, with live coverage Dec. 4–5 on ESPN and the final day, Dec. 7, on ABC.
Team USA won the inaugural event in 2023 by edging Team International by just two points, with Team Europe finishing third. Rosters included Hall of Famers Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie, along with major winners Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker and Darren Clarke.
The format features nine-hole matches in team and singles play, with points awarded for each hole won. Twenty-four matches across three days decide which team earns international bragging rights.
Tickets for the 2025 event will go on sale soon.
