LPGA’s Founders Cup To Be Sponsored By Fortinet in Multi-Year Deal

The LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup will be sponsored by Fortinet in a multi-year partnership, elevating the event to new heights and marking a return to Northern California in 2026.

Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader, will become the new title partner of the Founders Cup, starting with the tournament’s 2026 edition. They will replace Cognizant as the sponsor.

The LPGA announced that the event will be held at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, California, from March 19-22.

Sharon Heights, recently renovated and awarded for its sustainability-focused design, will host the 15th edition of the Founders Cup. The Bay Area last hosted a non-major LPGA Tour event in 2022.

The Founders Cup celebrates 75 years since the LPGA’s creation, honoring its founders with a competition that routinely attracts a world class field.

Fortinet’s sponsorship brings significant investment to the LPGA, increasing the tournament purse to $3 million from $2 million in 2025.

LPGA Tour & Fortinet Reaction

“We’re fired up to welcome Fortinet as the title partner of the Founders Cup and grateful for their commitment to elevating this historic event,” said LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler.

“The Founders Cup is about honoring the 13 women who built the LPGA from the ground up, and there’s no better stage for that than Sharon Heights – a world-class course that will challenge and showcase our players.

“Fortinet is founder-led, is headquartered in Northern California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is focused on excellence and putting its customers first, and is the perfect title partner for this event.

“Many of our athletes have deep ties to Northern California, and this partnership with Fortinet allows us to celebrate that connection while growing the game and inspiring future generations.”

Ken Xie, Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fortinet, added: “Fortinet is honored to join the LPGA as title sponsor of the Fortinet Founders Cup, a tournament that celebrates the vision and perseverance of the LPGA’s 13 trailblazing founders.

“Our own journey began in Silicon Valley nearly 25 years ago with a commitment to innovation and putting our customers first, values that continue to drive us today.

“Together with the LPGA, we aim to further advance the game of golf, and inspire future generations and champion opportunities for women on and off the course.”

About Fortinet

Founded in Silicon Valley in 2000, Fortinet is the world’s most deployed and patented cybersecurity company, recognized for pioneering the convergence of networking and security.

With the largest AI and cybersecurity patent portfolios, Fortinet is renowned for custom ASICs, cutting-edge threat intelligence, and seamless cloud security.

With over 890,000 customers and consistent recognition by Forbes and Gartner, Fortinet provides security for high-profile enterprises worldwide.

Fortinet sponsored the PGA Tour event known as the Fortinet Championship in Napa Valley, California, from 2021 to 2023.

The tournament is held at Silverado Country Club and beginning in 2024, Procore replaced Fortinet as the title sponsor.