Farmers® welcomes APGA Tour players Troy Taylor II and Wyatt Worthington II as brand ambassadors, extends relationship with Willie Mack III
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Farmers Insurance® announced today new sponsorship deals for APGA Tour players Troy Taylor II and Wyatt Worthington II, as well as the renewal of its sponsorship of APGA Tour player Willie Mack III—the latest in a series of actions Farmers has taken to support the APGA Tour and its mission to grow diversity in the game of golf. The sponsorships will help each player with travel, equipment and other costs associated with competing on the APGA Tour and other professional golf events.
“We are excited to extend our relationship with Willie Mack, while welcoming Wyatt Worthington, and Troy Taylor as additional player ambassadors,” said Jenny Howell, head of brand and consumer marketing for Farmers Insurance. “We’ve been involved with the APGA Tour since its founding and are proud to continue to support talented and inspirational players like Willie, Wyatt, and Troy.”
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf. The APGA Tour Board of Directors works to accomplish this by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs and by introducing the game to inner city young people.
In 2024, Farmers will once again host the APGA Tour Farmers Invitational® at Torrey Pines. Now in its fifth year, this 36-hole event with a field of 18 minority players will take place on the Torrey Pines North Course on Saturday, January 27 and the South Course on Sunday, January 28. The event will be staged in conjunction with the PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open, with Sunday’s play broadcast live on Golf Channel for the third consecutive year beginning at 2 p.m. PT.
Additionally, for the past three seasons, Farmers Insurance has sponsored the three-tournament Farmers Insurance Fall Series on the APGA Tour. In 2023, this three-event series awarded a total of $95,000 in prize money and a $10,000 bonus for the top-performing player across the three events.
“The financial support Farmers Insurance is providing for Willie, Wyatt, and Troy through these sponsorships will go a long way in alleviating concerns about expenses so these talented players can maintain their focus on getting to the next level,” said APGA Tour Co-Founder Ken Bentley. “Farmers’ overall support for the APGA Tour is helping to elevate our product and provide more and more opportunities for minority golfers as they pursue the ultimate dream of playing on the PGA TOUR, and we are grateful.”
Over his 13 years as a professional golfer, Willie’s journey is marked by significant achievements that underscore his talent and commitment, including an impressive tally of 76 professional wins. In 2021, after receiving a sponsor’s exemption to the Farmers Insurance Open, Mack enjoyed a career season, including making the cut at the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic and John Deere Classic and two wins on the APGA Tour. After winning three more times on the APGA Tour in 2022, Mack earned Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2023 season with a T12 finish in the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. After competing on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, Mack will be returning to the APGA Tour in 2024.
“The support of Farmers Insurance has been integral to my professional career,” said Mack. “Their commitment to amplifying APGA Tour players is making an impact in our lives and the game.”
In 2023, Worthington qualified for the PGA Championship as a PGA professional for the second straight year and third time in his career. He also earned victories at the APGA at Las Vegas and APGA Cisco Invitational at Pebble Beach Resorts.
“The expenses associated with traveling and competing in professional golf events can be significant, and it definitely has an impact on the ability for minority golfers like me to get to the next level,” Worthington said. “Farmers Insurance sponsoring me is truly a blessing, and I am proud to be a brand ambassador for an organization that has done so much to support the APGA Tour.”
The son of Ohio State basketball player Troy Taylor, Sr., Taylor recently graduated from Michigan State and earned status on the APGA Tour by finishing on top of the 2022-2023 Bridgestone APGA Collegiate Ranking. Taylor enjoyed a solid rookie season with six top-10s and no finishes worse than 20th in nine starts. He also earned an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s UNC Health Championship presented by STITCH.
“I was blessed to have access to the APGA Tour immediately out of college last year, and look forward to playing a full schedule of events in 2024,” Taylor said. “The APGA Tour wouldn’t be possible without organizations like Farmers Insurance who are having a substantial impact on our sport. For a young player like myself, it is an honor and a privilege to receive financial backing that allows me to focus on golf and my development as a professional. I’m extremely thankful and grateful to have this opportunity.”
Visit Farmers.com/Golf for more information about the insurer group’s commitment to the game.
About Farmers Insurance
“Farmers Insurance®” and “Farmers®” are tradenames for a group of insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes, small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com or follow Farmers on Twitter @WeAreFarmers, on Instagram @WeAreFarmers and Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.
