SUNNYVALE, Calif. and DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The LPGA Tour and Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT) today announced a multiyear deal where Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, will be the title partner of the Founders Cup. The 2026 event will be played March 19-22 with a $3 million purse, up from $2 million in 2025.
"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."
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2000, Fortinet has been the cybersecurity leader for 25 years, with the biggest overall cybersecurity patent portfolio in the industry, as well as the largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) patent portfolio. Fortinet has led the convergence of networking and security - innovating security organically and well-integrated - from the ground up, embedding and innovating protection into the very fabric of networking. From custom-built ASICs and its FortiOS operating system, to being the only vendor delivering the New-Generation SASE Firewall, to organically building a global cloud infrastructure, advanced AI, and industry-leading threat intelligence, Fortinet provides seamless performance and security at scale. These innovations are validated not only by Fortinet's extensive patent portfolio and its large customer base of the most discerning customers, but also by recognition as a Leader across multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants, including SASE Platforms, SD-WAN, and Enterprise Wired and Wireless Infrastructure within the single FortiOS operation system. Forbes recognized Fortinet in the top 10 Most Trusted Companies in America list, recognizing Fortinet as the most trusted U.S. based cybersecurity company in the world and the only cyber company in the top 50. With more than 890,000 lifetime customers, Fortinet continues to be among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated cybersecurity companies in the world.
"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," said Ken Xie, Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fortinet. "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."
The LPGA's return to Northern California marks a longstanding tradition of women's golf in the area. Previously, the Bay Area hosted the 2021 U.S. Women's Open, played at The Olympic Club, and the 2016 U.S. Women's Open, played at CordeValle, as well as the 2023 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, played at TPC Harding Park. The last non-major, standard-eligibility LPGA Tour event to be held in Northern California was the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, played from 2018 through 2022 at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City.
Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club has been an active part of the Menlo Park community for more than 60 years. Originally designed in 1962 by renowned architect Jack Fleming (a protégé of Alister MacKenzie), the course was adjusted by several architects through the years prior to a major renovation conducted in 2023. The renovation was carried out by architect Todd Eckenrode and Origins Golf Design and features an improved layout and enhanced commitment to sustainability. Since reopening in 2024, the course has garnered multiple renovation-of-the-year awards. The design intentionally showcases the beauty of the region with natural meadows, seasonal creeks and fairways lined with native California oak and sycamore trees. "We are honored to welcome the best female golfers in the world to Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club," said General Manager Aaron Grant. "Our golf course is truly very special, and we look forward to showcasing it on the world stage as well as bringing the LPGA to our local community that so greatly supports female athletics and golf."
This will be the 15th edition of the Fortinet Founders Cup, an event that celebrates the 13 Founding Members of the LPGA, who created the Association 75 years ago in 1950. Previously played at venues across Arizona, Florida and New Jersey, the event routinely showcases the top talent of the LPGA. Past winners include major champions Jin Young Ko, Minjee Lee, Stacy Lewis and Anna Nordqvist. The 2025 playing saw American Yealimi Noh become a Rolex First-Time Winner after closing out her final round with a four-stroke lead over Jin Young Ko, while Rose Zhang won the 2024 Founders Cup for her second professional victory.
More details about the tournament can be found by visiting thefounderslpga.com.
About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world's premier women's professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women's sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course.
Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.
About the LPGA Tour
The LPGA Tour is the world's leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 32 annual events across 12 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $129 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel.
About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ:FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams ("CERTs"), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet's commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet's elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.
About Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club
Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club is a private, member-owned social club nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley's tech, venture capital and private equity corridor, with its' location on the infamous Sand Hill Road. The club has had a reputation as one of the Bay Area's premier golf and country clubs since its' founding in 1962, only further enhanced by the recent renovation work and investments in sustainability.
Learn more at https://www.sharonheightsgcc.com/
Media Contacts
Stephanie Lira, Fortinet: slira@fortinet.com
Aaron Grant, Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club: aaron@shgcc.com
J.D. Sterba, LPGA Communications: jd.sterba@lpga.com
