See How These Fan Experiences at The Players Championship Engaged a New Generation of Golfers

This year’s tournament featured high-tech activations and partnerships with brands including YouTube and Roblox.

March 25, 2025

The Creator Classic Series, a seasonlong series of events featuring fan-favorite YouTube golf content creators, kicked off at TPC Sawgrass the evening before The Players Championship. Each iteration of the Creator Classic Series presented by YouTube is streamed on the PGA Tour’s YouTube channel. (Pictured: Kyle Berkshire on the 10th hole)Photo: Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty ImagesPONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.—From March 11-17, top golfers once again competed at The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun faced off during a three-hole playoff to decide The Players Championship on March 17. The finale had been pushed from the usual Sunday to the following day because of inclement weather. McIlroy came out on top.

While the golf course remains the same every year, the PGA Tour continues to evolve the on- and offline fan experiences at the tentpole event.

Launched in 2024, the PGA Tour’s Fan Forward initiative has collected insights from more than 50,000 respondents, which has guided data-driven decisions to help enhance the fan experience at golfing events. The Tour’s response to this direct fan feedback debuted at The Players Championship and included innovative brand activations and partnerships with sponsors such as YouTube and Roblox.

Keep scrolling to see how brands activated at The Players Championship 2025...

Cosm

This year, immersive entertainment, media, and technology company Cosm and the PGA Tour teamed up to present The Players Championship at Cosm’s experiential venues in Los Angeles at Hollywood Park and in Dallas at The Colony’s Grandscape, each of which feature large-scale, 87-foot-diameter, 12K-plus LED domes.

Photo: Courtesy of Cosm

Cosm’s broadcast included never-before-utilized camera positions at the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. Additionally, TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club was on site in LA with its mobile Dryvebox simulator, giving attendees the opportunity to play the Island Green—the nickname for the 17th hole—at TPC Sawgrass. The experiences also included food and beverage options and merchandise sold on site. Both Cosm venues also had mobile gaming stations where fans had the chance to play PGA TOUR 2K25.

Photo: Courtesy of Cosm

YouTube

Photo: Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images

The next Creator Classic at the Philadelphia Cricket Club will be contested on May 7, prior to the Truist Championship, and the series will conclude with the Creator Classic at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Aug. 20, ahead of the Tour Championship. “Creators are redefining what must-see sports content looks like and fans today are seeking more than just live coverage—they want immersive, interactive experiences with their favorite creators,” said Angela Courtin, vice president of YouTube marketing for Connected TV and Creative Studios, in a statement. (Pictured: Grant Horvat celebrates winning the Creator Classic)

Photo: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR

Roblox

Just in time for the championship, the PGA Tour launched a new experience on Roblox called the Ultimate Golf Simulator. Developed in partnership with PING and First Tee, the experience allows Roblox users to test their golf skills by trying to make as many holes-in-one as possible in order to earn in-game wearables and custom items from creators like Bob Does Sports.

Photo: Courtesy of Roblox

“With the popularity of golf and its growing appeal among young players, it’s important for PING to connect with this audience and present the game’s tremendous appeal to future generations,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO and president, in a statement.

Photo: Courtesy of Roblox

Morgan Stanley

Hosted next to the 18th fairway, the Morgan Stanley Fan Experience Tent featured giveaways and a chance for fans to contribute to Morgan Stanley’s Eagles for Impact initiative by sinking an eagle at custom putting bays.

This year, rules officials and agronomists also had access to the AI Course Setup Tool Presented by Morgan Stanley, a new app that provided data to help them set the course for competition each day. It leverages AI to set tee and hole locations based on simulated results including expected scoring, driving distance, rough penalty, and more.

Photo: Courtesy of Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley donated $5,000 for each eagle or double eagle carded by the pros during the tournament as part of the Eagles for Impact program. Plus, this year, eagles made in the fan tent also counted toward an additional donation.

Photo: Courtesy of Morgan Stanley

Prior to the first round of tournament play, Morgan Stanley hosted a group of First Tee participants and coaches from various chapters in the North Florida region. Attendees participated in a fireside chat with Morgan Stanley’s senior client advisor, Carla Harris, and learned from a group of panelists about the business of golf.

Photo: Courtesy of Morgan Stanley