PGA Tour returns to Trump Doral – and Cadillac’s back at the wheel

American luxury automobile brand Cadillac is apparently in the driving seat to become the headline sponsor of the PGA Tour's new Miami Championship at Doral in 2026. 

According to Sports Business Journal, multiple sources have confirmed Cadillac, which previously sponsored the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral from 2011 to 2016, is expected to headline the new Miami Championship, scheduled for 30 April to 3 May 2026.

The 2026 Miami Championship will mark the PGA Tour’s first event at Doral in a decade.

The Florida venue hosted the Doral Open from 1962 to 2006 and a World Golf Championships event from 2007 to 2016.

Notable past winners at Doral include Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson and Ernie Els. 

The significance of a new deal with Cadillac could be huge for the PGA Tour as it looks to fill one of its biggest Signature Event sponsorship vacancies on its schedule for 2026. 

Return after a 10-year absence

The PGA Tour’s last appearance at Trump Doral came in 2016 when Cadillac ended its six-year title sponsorship deal. 

The circuit was unable to find a replacement and it led to the event’s relocation to Mexico.

At the time, speculation linked the decision to Donald Trump’s growing political profile, as he was running for president. 

However, then-commissioner Tim Finchem maintained the departure was solely due to Cadillac’s non-renewal and the lack of a new sponsor.

The return in 2026 will see the PGA Tour revive a key market in South Florida, with a familiar brand once again leading the partnership.

A premium price for a Signature Event

The Miami Championship is expected to be part of the PGA Tour’s Signature Event schedule, which features elevated purses and limited fields designed to attract the game’s biggest names.

The 2026 PGA Tour season will feature nine Signature Events, each with a $20 million prize purse.

These limited-field events include the top 50 players from the previous year's FedExCup standings and have increased prize money and FedExCup points. Winners of most Signature Events will receive $4 million.

Sources have told SBJ the PGA Tour has been seeking around $30 million per year for title sponsorship, reflecting the escalating costs of backing its elite events. 

Comparable deals include Truist’s reported $200 million, seven-year agreement for their tournament at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

Title sponsorships of PGA Tour Signature Events typically run for at least five years.

Cadillac’s expanding sports portfolio

Cadillac’s expected return to the PGA Tour fits into a broader global push by the brand to strengthen its sporting presence.

According to SBJ, Cadillac will launch a Formula 1 team in 2026 and explore title sponsorship deals worth up to $70 million per year in the F1 space.

The company already serves as the official vehicle partner of the Cognizant Classic of the Palm Beaches, another PGA Tour event held earlier in the spring.

The brand’s long-time agency of record, Jack Morton Worldwide, continues to oversee its sports marketing activations.

Miami’s Blue Monster back on the map

Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster course is among the most recognisable in American golf, having hosted professional tournaments for more than 50 years before its removal from the schedule.

The course’s return under the Signature Event banner is expected to draw a world-class field that will likely include both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, as it looks to re-establish Miami as a key stop on the PGA Tour calendar. 

The PGA Tour has declined comment on sponsorship discussion. 

GolfMagic has listed the entire 2026 PGA Tour schedule below.

Italics = Signature Event, bold = major, * = FedEx Cup Playoffs.