Genesis reaffirmed its partnership with the European Tour and PGA TOUR for the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event, while successfully completing the 2021 Genesis Championship held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Songdo, Incheon, South Korea.
European Tour CEO Keith Pelley and PGA Tour Senior Vice President of International Christian Hardy attended the Genesis Championship’s trophy ceremony in person and handed the winner, Jae Kyung Lee, invitations to compete in the 2022 Genesis Invitational and the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.
The two major Tours will co-sanction the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time in July of 2022, with representatives from both tours visiting Korea to attend a ceremony to reveal the new logo for the Genesis Scottish Open, as well as a pin flag signing event.
The events reaffirmed Genesis’ commitment to hosting and collaborating on next year’s competition and as title sponsor of the Genesis Scottish Open in 2022, Genesis will continuously strengthen its partnerships with both tours along with the Genesis Invitational.
Jay Chang, Global Head of Genesis Brand, said: “The Genesis Championship has been leading the way for Korean golf culture, and we are delighted that this championship, and the partnership with the two major tours, will offer Korean players an opportunity to advance in the world. We will continue to give our unwavering support to Korean golfers.”
Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said “The Genesis Scottish Open will provide a great platform for Genesis to introduce their brand to the customers in Europe following their entry into the European market earlier this year. With the event also being co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR for the first time next year, the 2022 edition of the Genesis Scottish Open marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the proud history of one of our most prestigious events. We are pleased that Korean players will have the opportunity to be part of this journey, not just next year but in the seasons ahead.”
Christian Hardy, PGA Tour Senior Vice President of International, added: “Genesis has shown a strong commitment to the sport of golf with a history of tournament sponsorships, The Genesis Invitational since 2017, renowned PGA TOUR events such as THE CJ CUP, the 2019 Presidents Cup and most recently the Genesis Scottish Open, which will now be co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR and European Tour for the first time as a part of a strategic alliance between the two Tours. Through these partnerships, Genesis has demonstrated its commitment to providing more opportunities for Korean players to compete on a global stage, which further elevates the international strength of the Korean golf culture.”
Meanwhile, this year’s tournament featured players with the most Genesis points, including Yoseop Seo, who ranks first in the wins category with two wins this season, as well as prominent players such as previous Genesis Championship winners Taehoon Kim, Taehee Lee, and Seunghyuk Kim.
Jae Kyung Lee, who sealed his victory finished the game with a final score of 14 under par 274 strokes. For winning the tournament, Jae Kyung Lee was awarded Genesis’ first dedicated electric vehicle, the GV60, and 300 million Korean won. He also received formal invitations to participate in three golf tournaments, including the European Tour’s 2022 Genesis Scottish Open, the PGA Tour’s 2022 Genesis Invitational, and the PGA Tour’s 2022 CJ Cup @ Summit.
The Genesis Championship held a promotional campaign under the theme of ‘Golf Connects 2.0,’ an expansion of the last year’s ‘Golf Connects’ campaign that celebrated the connections between players, families, and galleries. This year, ‘Golf Connects 2.0’ extends the support for both players and caddies. The campaign reinforces Genesis’ position as a supporter of the development of Korean men’s professional golf.
That support is reflected in programs like this year’s ‘caddie bib naming service,’ which saw Genesis print both players’ and caddies’ names on caddies’ ‘bibs,’ or vests, in a show of respect for caddies. Genesis also provided caddies with an exclusive lounge that offered an environment for them to reach their best condition to help players, as well as ‘robot caddies’ to assist them. Through these campaigns, Genesis received many positive responses for contributing the development of men’s golf culture in Korea.
