The World Wide Technology Championship (WWTC), the oldest PGA Tour event played outside the U.S. and Canada, serves as a testament to the global expansion of golf. The tournament, which took place November 7-10, has been held for the second consecutive year at El Cardonal at Diamante, a Tiger Woods-designed course in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Since its inception in 2007, the WWTC has been a driving force behind golf’s surge in Latin America. The PGA Tour now hosts a second event in Mexico, the Mexico Open at Vidanta, formerly part of the PGA Tour Americas (formerly the Latinoamérica Tour). Additional tournaments are held in the region by the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas. The WWTC has also helped raise millions of dollars for local causes.
According to Joe Mazzeo, the WWTC’s tournament director, “All of that growth has been a result of a lot of effort to continue to grow the game. But somebody had to be first, and this golf tournament was first in planting a flag in the region.”
The tournament faced a potential upheaval in 2022 when LIV Golf announced a deal to play at Mayakoba Resort’s El Camaleón course, but the WWTC found a new home at Diamante Cabo San Lucas. Mazzeo credits the title sponsor, World Wide Technology (WWT), for their support during this transition. WWT, a global technology-solution provider, is based in St. Louis, Missouri, and works with companies such as Nvidia and Cisco, with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence and technology advancement.
Matt Horner, executive vice president of global enterprise at WWT, explained that the company’s interest in title sponsorship came from a combination of business and charitable opportunities. While WWT is involved in other PGA events, the title sponsorship offers greater brand recognition and facilitates connections with C-suite executives. The charitable aspect of the PGA Tour also played a key role. The WWTC has raised over $3 million for charities since its inception.
“When you look at the philanthropic part of the PGA Tour, and that being in our DNA since our inception in 1990, it was a good match,” said Horner. He noted that WWT had options to sponsor tournaments in the United States but chose Mexico because “having the international location was fitting, considering our namesake is World Wide Technology.”
Horner and Mazzeo agree that the WWT Championship’s focus on Mexico makes it special. The primary beneficiary of the tournament is the local First Tee chapter of Diamante, which receives a $25,000 annual donation from WWT. First Tee aims to teach life skills to children through golf.
Mazzeo, who also has children in the First Tee program, said, “A lot of the kids come from backgrounds where, socioeconomically, they’re maybe not as fortunate as others. We’ve always invited a number of Mexican players to represent their country in this tournament. We’re proud that there are more Mexicans [28] who have played in this golf tournament than any other on the PGA Tour.”
First Tee provides golf instruction, equipment, meals, and more to those in need. First Tee participants have opportunities during the tournament, such as behind-the-scenes tours and participation in the Tuesday Short Am, which raises additional funds for the program.
In addition to supporting First Tee, WWT and the PGA Tour are committed to giving Mexican golfers opportunities to compete. Five Mexican players were entered in the field for this year’s tournament. The tournament has also hosted qualifiers for ten years, including match play and stroke play, for two golfers to earn a spot in the field. These qualifiers are exclusively for Mexican players.
Santiago de la Fuente, the Latin America Amateur champion, earned a spot by winning the stroke-play qualifier. Isidro Benitez, a former PGA Tour Latinoamérica winner, secured his spot through the match play qualifier. Horner believes creating opportunities in Mexico is crucial to boosting interest in the sport. With approximately 200 participants in the two qualifiers, he believes they’ve built a strong foundation, and the program may even expand.
WWT also maintains a strong connection with the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA). The APGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in golf by providing equipment, instruction, and expertise to Black and other minority golfers. WWT donates $20,000 to be split among five top APGA players, who also have the opportunity to qualify for the WWT Championship during Monday qualifiers. Additionally, WWT awards the winner of the APGA Tour’s Ascension Classic an exemption into the WWT Championship. Andrew Walker won this year’s event. Last year’s winner, Chase Johnson, made the cut at the WWT Championship. Horner highlights the significant financial impact that qualifying for a PGA Tour event can have on players.
Horner states, “If you think about pathways to prosperity in golf, it’s life-changing in terms of them being able to play in a PGA tournament.”
WWT and the PGA Tour are dedicated to expanding golf in Mexico and around the world. Horner and Mazzeo believe the WWTC’s history and continued growth demonstrate their success.
“We couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this great game that spans the globe,” concluded Horner. “We see a lot of opportunity for the game and its impact on our communities for decades to come.”
