Jin Young Ko was the winner of the Founders Cup in 2019. She'll have the chance to defend her title in October.
The 2021 LPGA season already boasted the highest total purse value in tour history: $76.45 million. And it just got even bigger.
The tour announced on Tuesday that the Founders Cup has found a new title sponsor in Cognizant. As part of the partnership, the professional services company will double the overall prize money payout for the tournament from $1.5 million to $3 million.
The event, which will be played in October at Mountain Ridge C.C. in West Caldwell, N.J., after previously being held in the spring in Arizona, now has the largest purse on tour, outside of the five majors and CME Group Tour Championship.
LPGA commissioner Mike Whan was in his second year on the job when the Founders Cup began in 2011 as a celebration of the tour’s 13 founding members and a way to honor their vision to build a better future for the next generation of female golfers. “I have to admit that this event is personal, as making sure we never forget the grit, commitment and passion of our Founders has always been critically important to me,” Whan said in a statement. “I’m so honored and proud to see Cognizant embrace this event and all that it means to young women worldwide.”
The Founders Cup was last played in 2019, with Jin Young Ko winning the title. The 2020 edition of the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement also includes news of Cognizant signing on to be a global partner with the PGA Tour’s Presidents Cup through 2026.
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