Vitis Energy joins PXG Women’s Match Play Championship
SAINT AUGUSTINE, Fla., Sept. 16, 2022 – Clean energy solutions provider Vitis Energy has signed on as a founding partner of the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship, boosting the tournament’s total purse to a minimum of $55,000.
With Vitis’s support, the purse increased 10 percent, with $15,000 now going to the overall winner of the professional women’s tournament, to be held Nov.1-6 at the Slammer & Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village in Saint Augustine.
“We wanted to energize the players’ performance by offering a larger top purse,” said Stephanie Clarkson, chief executive officer of Vitis Energy. “As a certified women owned business enterprise, Vitis is pleased to be able to support these stellar women athletes as they pursue their dreams of a professional sports career.”
In addition to boosting the top purse, Vitis will sponsor the tournament’s volunteer program and the free Junior Clinic, scheduled for Oct. 30, whereby local youth will have an opportunity to learn key fundamentals with tournament players. The accompanying charity Pro-Am on Oct. 31, meanwhile, will benefit Investing in Kids! (INK!), a nonprofit that provides scholarships and other support to students and teachers in the St. Johns County (FL) schools.
“We are thrilled to have Vitis Energy join us as a founding partner,” said Mark Berman, CEO of the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour (ECWPGT), of which the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship is a part. “The synergy between Vitis – a women-owned company operating in a male-dominated industry – and this tournament couldn’t be stronger. Their commitment enables us to make a significant purse even more substantial.”
Considered to be the major of women’s developmental-level professional golf, the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship will feature more than 80 emerging professional women golfers seeking to advance to the LPGA Tour. Seven ECWPGT players qualified for the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, including 2021 PXG Women’s Match Play competitors Sofia Garcia and Julianne Alvarez. Gabby Then, also a 2021 participant, won on the Epson Tour this year.
Information regarding the Junior Clinic, tickets and volunteering can be found on the tournament’s website at www.pxgwmpc.com. Information about elevated hospitality opportunities, Pro-Am spots and key sponsorships opportunities are also available on the tournament website or by contacting the tournament office at mark@pxgwmpc.com. Social media handles include @PXGWMPC, #PXGWomensMatchPlay, @ECWPGT, #AintNoMiniTour and #MakeGolfYourThing.
About Vitis Energy
Headquartered in St. Augustine, Florida, Vitis Energy develops, constructs and operates clean energy solutions that help customers save money, improve power reliability and enhance sustainability. The company executes a strategy of comprehensive, full-lifecycle project development, from initial market and site evaluations to permitting, financing, construction and operation. For more information, visit www.vitisenergy.com.
About the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship
The PXGWMPC was created in 2021 to shine a light on the developmental level of women’s professional golf and, through its collaboration with Generation W, also on women’s initiatives off the course, including the Generation W Links to Leadership Summit. Eighty-four aspiring LPGA Tour players will compete in a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier, Nov. 1-2, seeding the 64-woman match-play portion that begins with Pool Play on Nov. 4. The Round of 16 and the Quarterfinal matches will be played Nov. 5. The Semifinal matches and Championship Matches will be held Nov. 6. The Generation W Links to Leadership Summit will be held Nov. 3 at the St. Johns County Convention Center. The tournament will be conducted on the Slammer & Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, FL. In addition to Title Sponsor PXG, Founding Partners include Murgado Bentley/Maserati Jacksonville, Vitis Energy, Access Golf, Kessler Creative and Baptist Health of Jacksonville. www.pxgwmpc.com
About the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour
The ECWPGT has a dual mission of creating more and better playing opportunities for women aspiring to the LPGA Tour and to create career connections and pathways outside the ropes for female athletes.
Based in Florida, the ECWPGT is one of only three women’s developmental tours in the U.S. The ECWPGT is open to developmental professional players, including those on the Epson Tour and Ladies European Tours and is also open to elite-level amateurs and college players. For more information visit www.ECWPGT.com.
o The PXGWMPC was created in 2021 to shine a light on the developmental level of women’s professional golf and, through its collaboration with Generation W, also on women’s initiatives off the course, including the Generation W Links to Leadership Summit. Eighty-four aspiring LPGA Tour players will compete in a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier, Nov. 1-2, seeding the 64-woman match-play portion that begins with Pool Play on Nov. 4. The Round of 16 and the Quarterfinal matches will be played Nov. 5. The Semifinal matches and Championship Matches will be held Nov. 6. The Generation W Links to Leadership Summit will be held Nov. 3 at the St. Johns County Convention Center. The tournament will be conducted on the Slammer & Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, FL. In addition to Title Sponsor PXG, Founding Partners include Murgado Bentley/Maserati Jacksonville, Vitis Energy, Access Golf, Kessler Creative and Baptist Health of Jacksonville. www.pxgwmpc.comAvailable by clicking here.
o The PXG Women’s Match Championship is also a fundraiser for Investing in Kids. The INK! Charity Pro Am is slated for October 31 and will feature teams of one professional player paired with three amateurs. The night before the Charity Pro-am. Murray Brothers Caddy Shack will host the Official Meet the Players Pairings Party. The PXG Women’s Match Play Championship will also feature a junior clinic and other community involvement activities for the players, who will be in the area for 10-12 days.
o The PXG Women’s Match Play Championship will once again host the Generation W Links to Leadership Summit presented by Circle K and Baptist Health Jacksonville on November 3rd. The summit adds depth to the women’s initiatives mission of the PXGWMPC by providing a ½ day of leadership programming focused on offering growth opportunities for all the players in the tournament, as well as selected area college players, whether their life’s journey continues on the golf course or in the boardroom.
o Admission is just $10 per day and parking for fans will be free, courtesy of Official Printing Partner, Kessler Creative, a St. Johns County-based woman-owned print marketing firm. Kessler Creative is creating much of the on-course and promotional signage for the @PXGWMPC. Tickets include one complimentary beverage featuing Official Spirits Sponsor Manifest Distilling and a free PXG hitting and fitting experience.
o In addition to $50,000 in prize money and a PXG equipment and apparel stipend, players will compete for a one-of-a-kind trophy supplied by Ocean Sole Africa, a Ponte Vedra Beach-based non-profit which fashions sculptures out of recycled flip-flops from Kenya. Ocean Sole Africa will also provide similarly crafted one-of-a-kind trophies for the Runner Up and each semifinalist, as well as for the Stroke Play winner and runner up.
About PXG
Founded by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed golf nut Bob Parsons, PXG embodies his belief that every new product – from golf clubs to sport fashion apparel – should be markedly better. Every innovation should noticeably improve your performance. And every moment of impact should elevate your enjoyment. Today, PXG offers a complete lineup of right- and left-handed golf clubs, including drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, and putters, as well as high-performance, sport fashion apparel and accessories. For more information visit PXG.com.
About Generation W
Generation W, a registered 501(c)3, inspires women and communities to elevate their lives through leadership development, connection, inspiration and education. The Generation W platforms include Generation WOW, a teen girl’s leadership development and mentorship program; Generation W, a women's leadership program anchored by an annual event; WOWsdom! The girl's guide to the Positive and the Possible, a best-selling book and curriculum; and Generation WORKS, a day of community-wide service across Northeast Florida. To learn more visit www.genwnow.com
About INK! (Investing in Kids)
The St. Johns County Education Foundation which operates as INK! (Investing in Kids), has an ongoing mission to provide innovative programs and classroom resources to promote the academic success of students in the St. Johns County School District, Fla. INK! is headquartered at 1 Christopher St. in St. Augustine. For more information, contact Donna Lueders at 904-547-7120 or email Donna.Lueders@stjohns.k12.fl.us. Visit the website at www.ink-stjohns.org.
About the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour
The ECWPGT has a dual mission of creating more and better playing opportunities for women aspiring to the LPGA Tour and to create career connections and pathways outside the ropes for female athletes. Based in Florida, the ECWPGT is one of only three women’s developmental tours in the U.S and serves the eastern part of the country with 20 events each year and its Q-School prep events in California. Players come from 26 states and more than a dozen countries. Seeing through his own daughter’s eyes the limited opportunity for women to chase their professional dreams, particularly in comparison to their male peers who have more than 30 “mini tours” leading to the PGA TOUR, Mark Berman, with more than 25 years of golf industry marketing experience, launched the Tour in January The ECWPGT is open to developmental professional players including those on the Epson Tour and Ladies European Tours and is also open to elite level amateurs and college players. Website www.ECWPGT.com. Follow at @ecwpgt.
About MediaShare Consulting Group, Inc.
MSCG was started in 2009 in Jacksonville, FL as a boutique marketing strategy company serving small to medium-sized business. MediaShare is designed to act as a fractionally-owned marketing department for just a few clients at a time. With sponsorship activation as a cornerstone of its philosophy, running its own events became a natural progression. MediaShare is a strong supporter of women’s golf and women’s initiatives, and proud to take a leap into managing its first professional women’s golf tournament.
About On the Green Consulting, LLC
On The Green Consulting, LLC offers golf events of all sizes a wide range of consulting services to help maximize their goals and objectives, whether professional, amateur or charity. No matter how long an event has been on the calendar, or is even a startup, On The Green Consulting can help by offering a variety of golf event consulting services to meet your specific needs; site selection, contract negotiations, vendor procurement, long range financial planning, sales planning, site planning, staffing, collateral development and much more. Visit us at onthegreenconsulting.com
About World Golf Village
As the official golf courses of the World Golf Hall of Fame, the King & Bear and Slammer & Squire at The World Golf Village Resort are award-winning championship courses designed to offer both enjoyment and challenge in a spectacular and unique resort setting. The King & Bear is the only golf course in the world to be co-designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The course offers a mixture of two different design styles that come together to form one masterpiece. The Slammer & Squire course was designed by architect Bobby Weed in conjunction with Hall of Fame Members Sam Snead (the “Slammer”) and Gene Sarazen (the “Squire”). The course is a fun treat for players of all abilities. The World Golf Village Resort is located just a short drive from Jacksonville, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, and Orlando. For more information on The World Golf Village Resort, visit www.golfwgv.com.
The PXG Women's Match Play Championship is hosted by St Johns County, Fl and the St. Augustine / Ponte Vedra Visitors & Convention Bureau