Clarke Returns to Lead Defending Champion European Team; First-time Captains Goosen and Leonard Look to Lead Teams International and U.S. to Victory
PGA TOUR Champions tournament returns to Feather Sound Country Club from December 3-6, 2026
CLEARWATER, Florida – The Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s announced today that Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen and Justin Leonard will captain the European, International and U.S. Teams, respectively. The third annual playing of this tournament is set to be played December 3-6, 2026, at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater for the second consecutive year.
Clarke, the 2011 Open Championship winner, five-time European Ryder Cup team member and 2016 European Ryder Cup captain, will return as the captain for the European Team for the third consecutive year. He led the European Team to a dominant victory at Feather Sound in 2025 and will seek to retain the title in 2026. In 2022, Clarke became the fourth player in history to win both The Open Championship and The Senior Open Championship, defeating Pádraig Harrington by one shot at Gleneagles in Scotland. Coming off of a win at the American Family Insurance Championship, Clarke is currently ranked 10th in the Charles Schwab Cup Standings and his 2026 season highlights include a T3 at the Insperity Invitational and a T7 finish at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Goosen, the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open champion, takes on the captain’s title with hopes of adding the International Team’s name to the trophy for the first time in tournament history. The South African will captain the International Team after competing in the inaugural Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s in 2023. During his Hall of Fame career, Goosen competed in six Presidents Cups, and was in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for over 250 weeks between 2001-2007. Goosen has had a strong start to the 2026 season with a T3 finish at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and a win at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf. He is currently ranked 8th in the Charles Schwab Cup Standings.
Leonard, a five-time Presidents Cup and three-time Ryder Cup team member, the current Vice Captain for the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup Team was an incredible addition to the 2023 and 2025 U.S. Team, and will captain the U.S. Team for the first time in 2026. Leonard was the star of the 1999 Ryder Cup, making a 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole Sunday afternoon to clinch the U.S. Team’s comeback victory. A 12-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Leonard won the 1997 Open Championship at Royal Troon, where he came from five shots off the lead entering the final round, winning by three strokes, thanks to a Sunday round of 65. Leonard joined PGA TOUR Champions in 2023 and secured his first victory last season at the Chubb Classic, one of five top-10 finishes in 2025. He is currently ranked 33rd on the Charles Schwab Cup Standings.
This global golf tournament will continue to renew golf’s most storied rivalries while the teams battle for international pride and bragging rights. In 2023, the U.S. Team, led by current Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk, secured the inaugural win with 221 points and a margin of victory that was only two better than the International Team. The European Team finished third with 208 points. Clarke and the European Team returned with a vengeance in 2025 and ran away with a final tally of 230. The International Team and U.S. Team finished with a final score of 213.5 and 204.5, respectively.
“These players have competed for decades and will bring grit and determination to the forefront as we watch them build their teams and battle for the cup later this year,” said Brittany Jeanis, Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s Tournament Director and Vice President, Golf at Intersport. “This global team competition has become a fan-favorite and we are thrilled to see this tournament continue to thrive as it heads into its third year in the Tampa Bay area.”
Feather Sound Country Club is a par-72, 7,332-yard championship course in the Tampa Bay area and is centrally located between Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa, adjacent to Carillon Park. It has been ranked as one of the top five private clubs in Tampa Bay, serving as a challenging test for the best golfers in the world in 2025, and will continue to do so in 2026.
“It was incredible to see the buzz within our membership and the greater community as we hosted the greatest golfers in the world during the 2025 Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s,” said Dale Schmidt, Owner of Feather Sound Country Club. “We are proud to continue to bring golf fans to our course to watch what will surely be an incredible test of skill and teamwork later this year.”
Tickets for the Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s will be on sale this fall. For more information visit www.worldchampionscup.com.
About Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s
Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s is officially sanctioned by PGA TOUR Champions and debuted in 2023 as a first-of-its-kind three-team international golf competition. The annual tournament is contested across nine-hole matches featuring team formats and singles play, with points being earned for each hole won in the event’s 24 matches. Each of the three teams competing consists of six players, including a Playing Captain. Inspired by the passion and tradition of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, the tournament renews some of the game’s most storied rivalries as the teams battle for international pride and global bragging rights. More information is available at WorldChampionsCup.com, on Twitter (@WorldChampsCup) and on Facebook and Instagram (@WorldChampionsCup).
About Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company® based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through skechers.com and approximately 5,300 Skechers retail stores. A Fortune 500® company, Skechers manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
About Shriners Children’s
Shriners Children’s is a leader in providing care for orthopedic conditions from routine injuries to complex conditions including scoliosis and other spine disorders, sports injuries and spinal cord injury rehabilitation; burn injuries; and cleft lip and palate. We also offer specialized services including orthotics and prosthetics and motion analysis. We strive to provide the care and support our patients need to reach their goals and discover their full potential.
In addition, our healthcare system conducts research to improve our patients’ quality of life and offers outstanding educational programs for medical professionals. All care and services are provided regardless of the families’ ability to pay or insurance status. Shriners Children’s is a nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. For more information, including the full range of care disciplines, please visit shrinerschildrens.org.
About Feather Sound Country Club
Feather Sound Country Club, located in the beautiful Tampa Bay Area of Clearwater, Florida, is set to host the PGA TOUR Champions’ prestigious Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s for the second consecutive year, creating an exciting event for golf enthusiasts. This championship course measures an impressive 7,332 yards with a par of 72, renowned for its stunning scenery and meticulously manicured greens, providing a challenging yet exhilarating experience for players of all skill levels. With its picturesque views and a rich history of hosting elite tournaments, Feather Sound is the perfect backdrop for thrilling competition and unforgettable moments. Visit www.fscc.club for more information.
About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency and leader in creating and executing content, events and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences across sports and entertainment. The agency’s industry-leading team is driven by expertise in large-scale event planning and management, experiential marketing, premium hospitality, content marketing and production, partnership consulting and measurement.
Intersport is the proud owner and operator of the Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s. The Chicago-based agency also is the majority owner and operator of the APP TOUR, the world’s first, largest and only sanctioned professional pickleball tour, and is recognized as the largest independent producer of major college and high school sports events and experiences.
Founded in 1985, Intersport is headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in New York and Tampa. Learn more at www.intersport.global and follow Intersport on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions) and on TikTok (pgatourchampions).
Media contacts:
Alyson Johnson – Gilly Group (alyson@gillygroup.com)
Jennifer Clay – Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (jennc@skechers.com)
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