Sept. 13, 2022

The fifth year of the Sanford International will bring some changes to the PGA Tour Champions event – starting at the top.

Davis Trosin is the new tournament director for the event that is running through Sunday at Minnehaha Country Club. The former assistant tournament director takes over for Josh Brewster, who took on a new role with Augusta National.

“It’s been a great transition for me, and I’m excited to continue the legacy,” Trosin said, projecting this year’s tournament will draw nearly 75,000 spectators – similar to last year, which was on par with 2018 and which “we were really happy about coming out of the pandemic,” he said.

“All indications point to that we would be at that level.”

The name at the top also will be changing this year. The presenting sponsor, Cambria, which had backed the tournament from its inception, is now a partnership between First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard and Mastercard Inc.

“We see it as a great opportunity, and as time has gone on, we see how important this event is to South Dakota as well and the exposure that South Dakota receives,” Premier Bankcard CEO Miles Beacom said. “You can’t underestimate that … and we just have a great partnership with Mastercard. They’ve partnered for us for 10-plus years on a Children’s Home Society event, and they’re always looking for something to partner with us on.”

Premier is the ninth largest issuer of Mastercard nationwide.

“It’s a 30-year relationship with Mastercard – 98 percent of our card portfolio is Mastercard-branded,” Beacom said.

“We just see this as an opportunity to bring in some customers, some vendors, some employees and partners in the community, and we see it as one of the premier events for the state of South Dakota on a national basis.”

Other corporations see the value too, Trosin said.

“We’ve hit sponsorship levels this year we haven’t seen before,” he said. “Sioux Falls has grown, and when businesses start coming into the community, they have earmarked our event as a way to engrain themselves in the community and brush shoulders with the premier people we have in the business community here in Sioux Falls. That’s a reputation we’re really proud of.”

New sponsors this year include ISG, Raven Industries and Scheels.

Tournament namesake Sanford Health is continuing its commitment, which Steve Young, president of Sanford Sports, said reflects how the health system gives back to the community.

“The feedback we continue to get is how much people look forward to coming to Sioux Falls, not just the players but the outside community that comes in to watch this,” he said. “It truly does line up with what we’re trying to get done, which is provide something for the community to rally around that enhances the well-being of Sioux Falls.”

There are two years left after this for the tournament, thanks to an extension through 2024. This year’s event also includes some new additions.

Grammy-nominated country artist Sam Hunt and Mitchell Tenpenny will perform Thursday at Great Shots, with tickets also granting tournament admission Friday. For information, click here.

“The concert is a huge piece of tournament week,” Trosin said. “That’s an opportunity to showcase Great Shots as a great partner but also bring in new golf fans.”

Great Shots also is hosting the World Scientific Congress of Golf this week, featuring presentations, workshops and keynote addresses centered on golf science and research.

“We’re really excited for that because it brings 100 people from around the world to Sioux Falls,” Young said.

“As part of our focus on thought leadership, we were planning to host this in 2020. The last one was in Canada, and they meet every three years.”

And finally, a new addition on the course during the Sanford International will offer spectators the chance to taste-test barbecue at 6 p.m. Saturday through an event sponsored by the South Dakota Beef Industry Council, including live music and free admission.

“We’re going to bring in four champion brisket smokers and have that up at the range as a people’s choice awards,” Trosin said.

Finally, the field of golfers itself is “one of the strongest we’ve ever had,” he said.

“All four champions are back, we have some top new players in the field … so that’s a testament to this event, the golf course, Minnehaha Country Club and the hospitality of the South Dakota people that these guys just love coming back every year. They love Sioux Falls, and for the guys who are new on the tour, word travels fast. We’ve created a great reputation not only with the community of Sioux Falls but with the Tour Champions as well.”

For details about the event, go to sanfordinternational.com.