Hyundai to host PGA event in LA

Hyundai Motor Group will sponsor a PGA tournament event in Los Angeles next year.

The Korean conglomerate’s U.S. branch Hyundai Motor America (HMA) announced Friday (KST) that it has reached a deal to become the title sponsor of the Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament at Riviera Country Club for 10 years starting in 2017, shifting its previous six-year sponsorship from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

The decision came after Northern Trust said Tuesday that it will replace the FedEx Cup Playoffs event in New Jersey beginning next year. First played in 1926, the Northern Trust Open ― then the Nissan Open ― has been the title sponsor since 2008. According to local media reports, the new sponsorship title is expected to be either “Hyundai Open” or “Genesis Open.”

“Considering that Hyundai Motor America is headquartered and heavily invested in the greater Los Angeles area, this is a perfect fit for Hyundai’s long-term vision and goals as a tournament sponsor,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem in a statement.