The PGA Tour’s long association with Firestone Country Club is coming to an end after 72 years. From 2027, the Senior Players Championship will move from Akron, Ohio, to Newport Beach Country Club in California. The move is being driven by a new title sponsorship agreement with Hoag, which will relocate the championship to its longtime home in Newport Beach.
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The change comes with the arrival of a new title sponsor. Healthcare company Hoag has signed on as the title sponsor of the Senior Players Championship and will bring the event to its long-time home at Newport Beach Country Club. The tournament will also return to its original name, the Hoag Senior Players Championship, and move from its traditional summer date to late March.
The move means Firestone will no longer host a PGA Tour event for the first time since 1954, ending one of the longest continuous runs in professional golf.
Firestone’s Historic Run Comes to an End
Firestone Country Club has played a major role in professional golf for decades. The club first hosted the Rubber City Open in 1954 and became a regular stop after the PGA Tour was reorganized in 1968. Over the years, Firestone has hosted some of the biggest tournaments in the sport. It hosted the PGA Championship three times and became the home of the World Series of Golf before later staging the World Golf Championships.
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Many of golf’s greatest players also created lasting memories at Firestone. Jack Nicklaus made his PGA Tour debut there in the 1958 Rubber City Open and went on to win seven times at the course, including the 1975 PGA Championship.
Arnold Palmer also enjoyed success at Firestone, winning three titles. He famously gave the demanding par-5 16th hole its nickname, “The Monster.” Tiger Woods perhaps enjoyed the most success of all. He won eight times at Firestone between 1999 and 2013, making the South Course one of the most dominant venues of his career.
Why the Tournament Is Moving
The decision to leave Firestone was driven mainly by sponsorship and scheduling. The PGA Tour announced in May that Hoag will become the new title sponsor of the Senior Players Championship beginning in 2027. As part of the agreement, the tournament will move to Newport Beach Country Club, which has hosted the Hoag Classic since 1996. A five-year agreement will keep the championship there through 2031.
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The tournament will also move to an earlier spot on the calendar, taking place in March instead of during the summer. While Firestone would have preferred to continue hosting professional golf, the new partnership signals a different direction for the PGA Tour Champions schedule. For now, the 2026 Kaulig Companies Championship marks the final PGA Tour event at one of golf’s most famous venues.
Main Photo Credit: © Butch Dill-Imagn Images
