CJ Group-sponsored PGA Tour 'the CJ Cup Byron Nelson (THE CJ CUP)' season is back. It will open in splendor at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, from May 21 to 24 local time.
The venue underwent major renovation work worth about $22 million immediately after last year's tournament ended. While the work—such as redesigning areas around the greens and improving bunkers—was pushed to enhance the overall competitiveness of the course, the CJ Cup has also been cited as a case that positively influences the development of local golf infrastructure.
This year's the CJ Cup will be held with total prize money of $10.3 million (about 15.16 billion won). As a PGA Tour regular-season full-field event, the winner receives 500 FedEx Cup points, a two-year tour card, and qualification for that year's signature events. The winner also earns spots in next season's Players Championship and the major championships.
CJ Group plans to use the CJ Cup as a steppingstone for spreading the K-lifestyle and to expand operations of the HOUSE OF CJ.
Every year the CJ Cup has been designed to be more than a golf tournament. Corporations' major asset K-food and K-culture were inevitably linked to the tournament, and, coinciding with the global revival of K-culture, it has become a global sports culture platform.
CJ Group's efforts are bound to attract attention from others. Last year it was recognized by the PGA Tour for effectively reflecting the sponsor's brand identity and philosophy, receiving the Best Title Sponsor Integration award.
CJ Group is preparing the tournament so that galleries from around the world can directly experience Korean culture, centering on HOUSE OF CJ, which will showcase Korean food through Players Dining and Bibigo concessions and further strengthen experiential content.
House of CJ will be set up as a complex promotional pavilion in the same vein as the Korea House that operated in Milan, Italy, during the Winter Olympics this February. It plans to capture a unique K-lifestyle that blends South Korea's culture and food.
Maybe that's why this year's side events' keywords are taste, style and fun.
The lifestyle itself becomes the content. While last year's House of CJ focused on introducing global brands of CJ affiliates, this year it adds various participatory contents such as AR interaction and digital challenges.
House of CJ, set up in the gallery plaza, will operate at about 750 square meters (about 227 pyeong), roughly 20% larger than last year.
On site, a variety of brand experience opportunities will be offered, including Bibigo product displays, CJ Olive Young K-beauty experience zones, CJ ENM music content, ScreenX screenings, K-cocktail tastings, TLJ (Tous les Jours) bakery samplings, goods giveaways and photo zones. In particular, CJ Foodville will continue the TLJ birthday party event that received great responses last year and will introduce the Dorumi brand for the first time at this tournament to gauge reactions to K-street food.
Bibigo will operate concessions at the 7th and 17th holes. At the 7th hole, based on the "chef's dining" concept, collaborative menus with star chefs will be showcased by day, delivering Bibigo products and the taste of Korean food to galleries in a more special way. At the 17th hole, Bibigo plans to offer menus using popular Bibigo products and special menu items emphasizing spiciness, adding various events so visitors can experience Bibigo in a new way.
Interest in the Korean food presented at the CJ Cup extends not only to galleries at the venue but also to participants' "culinary reviews." Defending champion and current world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler said last year about Players Dining, CJ Cup food was the most memorable. It rained a lot and it was a tough day, but thanks to Korean food I was able to get energy.
The CJ Cup's symbolic winner's trophy was created in Hangul inspired by Jikji, the world's oldest extant book printed with movable metal type. The names of players who won the Byron Nelson tournament—such as Tiger Woods, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus and Ernie Els—are engraved in Hangul. Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has confirmed his participation again this year.
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