Look what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
The week that every golf fan looks forward to is just around the corner Masters tournament kicks off at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club with practice rounds beginning on Monday.
Not only is it the first major tournament on the PGA Tour schedule each year, but from a business perspective, the Masters also serves as a huge hub for new deals, networking and much more for the golf industry.
In short, think of the Masters as the Super Bowl of golf.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM
The main rankings can be seen after the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National/Getty Images)
But the traditional business behind golf, especially the marketing side of the industry, has completely changed the sport. It requires a new playbook as the nine-figure tour and player sponsorships just to gain brand visibility are a thing of the past.
WME Sports, which represents some of the best athletes, coaches, broadcasters, executives and more in all of sports, has been leading the way on that changed playbook, and this week is critical to that, especially with golf in the industry.
GOLF CLOTHING BRAND PARTNERS WITH KELCE BROTHERS’ GARAGE BEER FOR MASTERS TOURNAMENT
“Masters week within the golf industry is interesting,” explains Guerrero, who has been in the golf world for over a decade. “It’s clearly the most magical week of the year, and we’ve all had many different memories during our journey. As you enter the golf industry you find it’s a unique opportunity where all the decision makers are in one concentrated area and everyone is obsessed with golf. They want to grow how they appear in the sport in new, creative ways.
“While we in the industry are excited about the glitz and glamor of the Masters, we are also excited that we are all coming together to meet, catch up and really network across the industry to provide new ways, at least from our perspective, to create how these companies emerge in the sport we love.”
Lewites, who works with PGA Tour star Jordan Spiethgolf influencer Paige Spiranac and many more echoed Guerrero’s sentiment, as he believes the Masters provides access to every sector of the industry.
“We’re so lucky in the golf industry, especially those of us who work around the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour and all the professional golf tours, there’s one event a week that’s the focus. Specifically, there’s four weeks a year – I’ll even throw The Players in there. There’s five times a year where it becomes an industry conference for us,” he said. “…We can see everyone from the brand side, the media side, the talent side and the events side of the business. The governing bodies, everyone’s there. And the Masters is our kickoff to having discussions in the second half of ’26 and ’27 about new deals, pipeline and seeing what people have planned. It’s everyone’s big launch. Domestically, half the country is going to play golf because of the weather changes. So it’s the biggest week for the golf industry and it’s kind of a kickoff for the year.”
Jordan Spieth walks the 17th green during the second round of the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/Getty Images)
The Masters is built on tradition, which is why so many, from the casual fan to the golf superfan, turn out every April. But golf has revolutionized the way brands can get involved in the sport, and agents like Guerrero and Lewites are helping these brands make an impact they never thought possible in the past.
While there are still gatherings “under the tree” at the clubhouse, as Lewites said given the technology ban at Augusta National, brand activations, dinners, conferences and more are happening around town throughout the week. Whether it’s stepping into a brand’s hospitality space to try out new gear and interact with their visionaries, or meeting PGA Tour legends over dinner after watching some golf, or even playing on area golf courses, this is where agencies like WME Sports thrive in building connections and bridging gaps so their clients can enter the golf space.
“I think it’s over 500 corporate houses that we have through (WME’s sister company) On Location, and a lot of our golf consulting clients use On Location for their housing meetings as well. While we used to do it ourselves, we have a great sister company to do that with. It’s become very structured and very detail-oriented,” Lewites explains.
SWAG GOLF PARTNERS WITH NFL FOR CUSTOM HEADCOVERS THAT BRING STADIUM ENERGY TO THE COURT
“Every night there are hosted dinners where in most cases we provide talent. Cameron McCormick, Jordan’s coach, Sean Foley is booked at the Masters every night and does speaking engagements that are sometimes as intimate as six people.
“We are finally seeing a lot of influx across the board from companies realizing that the Masters really is the ultimate hospitality opportunity.”
A great example of the kind of opportunities WME Sports creates for their clients is what Guerrero did with a great Masters tradition: John Daly’s “home” for the week.
A detailed view of a pin flag on the ninth green during a practice round prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Harry Hoe/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Although he hasn’t played in the Masters in years, Daly, a fan favorite in the golf world, has been staying in an RV, specifically at a Hooters restaurant in town, where he would interact with fans by signing autographs and taking photos. But his usual lineup was scrapped as the Hooters venue was demolished before this year’s tournament.
Enter Guerrero, who has been helping Daly’s team connected to Topgolfthe high-tech driving range and lounge company, who wanted some more eyes and attention at their Augusta location.
“They relocated him there on Thursday and Friday, keeping that tradition alive,” Guerrero said. “We can be a resource for these brands in so many different ways.”
Guerrero called “Creative and Change” the optimal words to describe what is happening in golf today. Whether it’s data and technology companies like CapTech helping golf’s governing bodies with their metrics and analytics, or smaller, cult-favorite brands like Swag Golf finding their way to business, WME Sports is using events like the Masters to get, or keep, the ball rolling in the right direction to make an impact they might not have thought possible.
Swag golf, basically created a partnership with Bryson DeChambeau, the two-time US Open champion who has also embraced the creative space in golf, something WME Sports has helped pioneer, especially with its work alongside Good Good Golf.
“We started working with Swag when they were making a few million dollars in revenue,” Lewites said. “We knew they were on track to generate $50 million in shared revenue, and we would help build their entire licensing program, so all their headwear that you see is everything from WWE, MLB, NBA, NFL – they have partnerships with all of them. They have a great partnership with DICK’S. They are in every DICK’s and Golf Galaxy location with their hometown collection and their collegiate licensing program that we put together for them. Again, here’s a small golf company now that showed how brands can activate and how that changes.”
A general view of the 11th hole green during the third round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 4, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Hector Vivas/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Guerrero added, “Golf is unlike any other sport. If you’re a fan of golf, you play it and you consume its products. I’m a big baseball guy, I’m a big football guy. I don’t play baseball on the weekends. It’s such a unique lifestyle sport, where if you’re a fan of it, you consume its products and you have a consumer for life. Yes, you can start at three and play until you’re 93.”
“So all these brands outside of golf want to join the industry and see the value in it. I really support everyone in the entire space. Whether we work with them or not, we’re all growing together.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Golf is truly a lifestyle compared to other sports. Not only do golfers play the game year-round, they also consume the products they see their favorite athletes use every day on the course.
The Masters also accentuates that point, which is why WME Sports and the rest of the industry are excited to head to Augusta and continue their impact on this ever-evolving game at one of its signature events.
“Everyone’s thinking about golf, and after the Masters hits, it’s bothering everyone,” Guerrero said. “A lot of these companies place a lot of value on showing up at or around the Masters, or launching products or new services or something new on the same timeline.”
