MasterCard Brings Contactless Payment to the PGA TOUR

MasterCard, the official card of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and the PGA TOUR® are bringing the latest payment technology to the spectator experience with the introduction of contactless acceptance. Food and beverage concessions at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open near the16th hole at TPC Scottsdale will be contactless enabled through a partnership with Prom Management Group, which provides catering to 38 professional golf tour events, allowing golf fans to make payments using Apple Pay, the easy, secure and private way to pay. This will be the first PGA TOUR stop to accept Apple Pay, when it debuts for fans attending the tournament later this week.

Apple Pay is available for U.S. consumers with an iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and can be used at all contactless acceptance locations. The acceptance of easy-to-use contactless payments, fully integrated into concession technology, is just the beginning of how MasterCard and the PGA TOUR are delivering an enhanced experience to golf spectators. MasterCard cardholders who use Apple Pay at supported course concessions during the Waste Management Phoenix Open – which begins Thursday, January 29th on The Golf Channel – may also get a Priceless Surprise!

“The tournament experience lends itself well to simple, secure payments so fans get through concessions and back to the tournament quickly,” said Matt Barr, Group Head, U.S. Emerging Payments, MasterCard. “We’re thrilled to partner with the PGA TOUR to bring contactless acceptance to stops on the 2015 schedule. Through our long-standing relationship with PGA TOUR we are constantly looking for opportunities to create enhanced spectator experiences both on-course and online, whether that’s through advanced payment capabilities or delivering surprises to fans.”

“As always, we anticipate extremely large crowds this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and it only makes sense that this is the venue where we introduce this simple and secure mobile payment technology that will further enhance the spectator experience,” said Rob Ohno, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing. “Technology is guiding the evolution of golf from both a player and spectator experience. Our long-standing relationship with MasterCard has helped ensure that we are delivering the latest in payment technology.”

For more information on MasterCard and Apple Pay visit www.newsroom.mastercard.com.

About MasterCard
MasterCard  (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.

The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.

Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2013, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $134 million for local and national charitable organizations and in early 2014 the TOUR’s all-time charitable contributions surpassed $2 billion.

The PGA TOUR’s web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

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