History is repeating itself at Torrey Pines. The sponsor that rescued the tournament 17 years ago is now choosing to leave. Breaking the silence, the PGA Tour confirmed the departure on Friday.

“Farmers Insurance has been a tremendous sponsor of the PGA Tour, and we cannot thank them enough for their support of the Farmers Insurance Open over the last 17 years,” the Tour said in a statement given to Golf Digest.

The decision marks the end of a partnership that began as a last-minute rescue. In 2010, General Motors pulled Buick’s sponsorship after 18 years of collaboration amid bankruptcy, leaving the tournament scrambling just 10 days before tee time. Farmers stepped in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a one-year deal that “saved our bacon,” according to Marty Gorisch, the tournament’s current CEO. The emergency one-year agreement with the $14 billion insurance giant turned into nearly two decades of support.

The Farmers Insurance participation had effects that went far beyond the leaderboard. During the Farmers era, about $20 million in cash donations were made, along with $5 million in in-kind donations and 12,000 hours of volunteer work by supporters and community partners. These numbers show how well the sponsorship was integrated into the community and how well the tournament did off the course.

While reflecting on the partnership, Farmers Insurance said it was satisfied with the collaboration.

“The tournament has generated millions of dollars for charity and delighted golf fans in San Diego and beyond,” the statement read. “As our sponsorship comes to an end, we celebrate everything we’ve accomplished and wish the PGA Tour and the Century Club of San Diego continued success.”

As of now, there is no public confirmation of a new title sponsor for the San Diego event after 2026. However, Gorisch remains optimistic about the Tour’s direction.

“Golf is hot, and sponsors want to be in,” he said. “It’s not change for change’s sake, right? Let’s strategically address some things that maybe we’ve kept a certain way for a long time and really look at them thoughtfully.”

Part of a broader trend, Farmers isn’t the only longtime partner exiting. Wells Fargo ended its championship sponsorship after 2024. The Honda Classic concluded a 42-year partnership. This signals a significant shift in PGA Tour sponsorships. The reason for this could be sponsors feeling the burn of a lack of viewership. LIV Golf created a bifurcation in golf, which led to a division in the audience. Analysts like Brandel Chamblee claim that because of this, the Tour suffered.

Despite sponsors walking away, not all hope is lost for the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour finds new support with multi-year signature deal

In a major win, Cadillac signed a multi-year deal in late 2025 to be the title sponsor of the new Cadillac Championship. This high-profile Signature Event will take place from April 27 to May 3, 2026, at Trump National Doral.

Cadillac has a history with professional golf and the PGA Tour, including at the Doral event. In 2010, it signed on as umbrella sponsor of the World Golf Championships series, later becoming the title sponsor of the WGC-Cadillac Championship, an elite invitational event contested at Trump National Doral from 2011 to 2016.

Hence, its return is a big business win for the PGA Tour. The tournament will have a $20 million prize pool, indicating that the PGA Tour is investing more in its top events.

“We are pleased to welcome back Cadillac, a world-class brand whose partnership with the PGA TOUR is synonymous with Trump National Doral, a legacy venue on our schedule,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said. “We appreciate the support of Cadillac as we bring a new era of the PGA TOUR to our fans in Miami.”

Additionally, Insperity has also strengthened its long-term collaboration on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. The Insperity Invitational, which takes place every spring in Texas, is still going strong with its prolonged title sponsorship.

The PGA Tour and Chipotle Mexican Grill also announced on January 7, a new marketing partnership that designates Chipotle as the “Official Mexican Restaurant,” as well as the “Official Burrito, Bowl, Tacos and Quesadilla” of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Through the agreement, Chipotle will sponsor the “Hot Streak” feature on the Tour’s mobile app and website. Hot Streak, presented by Chipotle, will highlight key stretches and turning points in real time and reward fans with Chipotle through socials.

These partnerships illustrate that the PGA Tour is still working with new and returning partners, even as some of its long-time sponsors are leaving. Cadillac’s return to sponsoring major events and Insperity’s continued support show that businesses still believe in professional golf.