Honda ending PGA Tour event title sponsorship

Honda Motors will "end the longest-running uninterrupted title sponsorship deal on the PGA Tour," as the automaker "won’t renew when its current deal expires" after the 2023 Honda Classic in late February. The tournament has been sponsored by Honda since 1982. The Honda Classic at one time was a "darling of the Tour and enjoyed one of the best fields for several years," but the decision that went into effect in 2019 to "compress the primary schedule into nine months and wrap up the FedEx Cup ahead of the college football and NFL seasons hindered Honda’s ability to attract a world-class field." With further changes to the Tour schedule beginning in January, the Honda will have "two elevated events before it ... and two following it." It makes for a "challenging recruiting process," as the top players are "committed to the elevated events" where purses will be $20M compared to the $8M for the Honda Classic (GOLFWEEK, 11/17).