DETROIT – The PGA TOUR and Rocket Mortgage, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, today announced an extension of the title sponsorship for the Rocket Mortgage Classic through 2027. Detroit’s PGA TOUR event will continue to benefit local residents through its commitment to bridging the digital divide in the community.
“From the very beginning, Dan Gilbert’s vision was to bring a world-class golf event to Detroit, shining a light on the city and raising money for partners doing amazing work in our community. Since then, Rocket Mortgage, the tournament team and the PGA TOUR have all worked tirelessly to establish an event that has a lasting impact on golf fans as well as neighborhoods throughout Detroit,” said Jay Farner, CEO of Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Companies. “We have built tremendous momentum and won multiple awards for our event from the PGA TOUR. But, more importantly, we have been able to take on very important initiatives, like helping to bridge the digital divide in Detroit. We are looking forward to seeing the impacts of this tremendous event for many more years to come.”
The Rocket Mortgage Classic, which saw Cameron Davis win his first PGA TOUR event in 2021, will continue to focus on its Changing the Course initiative. This program aims to end the digital divide in Detroit by making data-driven investments into the city and philanthropic partners that assist in providing technology, internet access and digital literacy training to residents. The goal is to ensure residents have access to these tools within a 15-minute walk of their home.
Charitable proceeds raised from the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic totaled over $2.7 million, surpassing the $1.2 million that was raised from the 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic. More than $3.5 million of these proceeds were invested directly into Detroit and Southeast Michigan-based organizations. Funds are disbursed by the Rocket Giving Fund, the 501(c)(3) host organization that manages the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
One of the primary initiatives of the Rocket Giving Fund is EBB 313, which is operated by Connect 313 Fund. This program subsidizes the cost of internet and technological devices for eligible households in Detroit. EBB 313 is the first and only campaign in the country that has streamlined and systemized access to the federal government’s Emergency Broadband Benefit. This significantly reduces the cost to digital access and opportunity, one of the primary barriers for those who currently do not have the necessary materials needed to be connected. Connect 313 Fund is a collaborative organization founded by the City of Detroit, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Rocket Companies, Microsoft and the United Way of Southeastern Michigan.
“The Rocket Mortgage Classic is an unparalleled opportunity to highlight all the great work taking place in Detroit, one of the great sports towns in America, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with Rocket Mortgage and the Rocket Mortgage Classic through 2027,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Thanks to today’s extension, the Rocket Giving Fund will continue to provide significant technological benefits for the citizens of Detroit through the Connect 313 Fund. We are proud that the Rocket Mortgage Classic has been a leader from day one in ensuring – through its work with local businesses and community leaders – that the tournament represents the diversity of the community.”
The inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019 won the PGA TOUR’s “Fair Way Award,” recognizing it as the leader in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and setting the bar for all PGA TOUR events by hiring Michigan-based, Detroit-based and minority owned businesses. The goal of the Rocket Mortgage Classic is to be reflective of and benefit the businesses and entrepreneurs that serve as the backbone of the local community.
“The Rocket Mortgage Classic continues to get better by the year, and we expect this incredible momentum to maintain as we build the preeminent event on the PGA TOUR,” said Jason Langwell, Executive Director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. “Our roster of the world’s best players continues to grow, the Detroit Golf Club’s classic layout is becoming a player favorite and our tournament has become the must-attend event of the summer.”
Rocket Mortgage has been a PGA TOUR partner since 2014. The Rocket Mortgage Classic debuted in Detroit in 2019, following the Quicken Loans National in the Metro Washington D.C. area where the company was title sponsor from 2014-18.
Rocket Mortgage will also continue its multifaceted partnership with the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions as its Official Mortgage Sponsor. Rocket Mortgage is a prominent advertiser on PGA TOUR telecasts and across PGA TOUR social and digital channels. Additionally, Rocket Mortgage golf brand ambassadors include Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson.
About the Rocket Mortgage Classic
The Rocket Mortgage Classic made history in 2019 as the first PGA TOUR event ever held in the city of Detroit, and has continued to make a positive and lasting impact on the city and its residents through its multi-year Changing the Course campaign, established in 2020 to end the digital divide in Detroit and ensure digital accessibility for all city residents. The Rocket Mortgage Classic was the most awarded event during the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season, being recognized for “Best Special Event” (then known as the AREA 313 Celebrity Challenge) and “Best Tournament Sales” as well as being honored with the first “Fair Way Award” for its diversity and inclusion initiatives. More information is available at RocketMortgageClassic.com and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@RocketClassic).
About Rocket Mortgage
Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage, the nation’s largest home mortgage lender and part of Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT), enables the American Dream of homeownership and financial freedom through its obsession with an industry-leading, digital-driven client experience. Rocket Mortgage closed $320 billion dollars of mortgage volume across all 50 states in 2020. In late 2015, it introduced the first fully digital, completely online mortgage experience. Currently, 99% of all home loans originated by the company utilize Rocket Mortgage technology.
Rocket Mortgage moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010. Today, Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Companies employ 24,000 full-time team members nationwide. The company generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Phoenix and operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit. Rocket Mortgage ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction for primary mortgage origination by J.D. Power for the past 11 consecutive years, 2010 – 2020, and also ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past eight straight years, 2014 – 2021.
Rocket Companies, Rocket Mortgage’s parent company, ranked #5 on Fortune’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2021 and has placed in the top third of the list for 18 consecutive years.
For more information and company news visit pressroom.rocketmortgage.com.
About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, Forme Tour and PGA TOUR Series-China. Members on the PGA TOUR represent the world’s best players, hailing from 29 countries and territories outside the United States (96 international members). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to 216 countries and territories in 28 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.2 billion.
Fans can follow the PGA TOUR on PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, on the PGA TOUR app and on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram (in English, Spanish and Korean), LinkedIn, Twitter, WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin and LINE.
CONTACT:
Mark Stevens, PGA TOUR, 904-861-5112, markstevens@pgatourhq.com
Valerie Pesonen, Rocket Mortgage, 313-402-3544, ValeriePesonen@RockCentralDetroit.com
Kylie Case, Rocket Mortgage Classic, 616-340-3209, kcase@rocketmortgageclassic.com