It’s not often that a professional golf tournament takes place in your backyard, but when it does, you have to take advantage of it. That’s exactly what LPGA partner and leading IT solutions provider SHI is doing this week at the Cognizant Founders Cup in Clifton, New Jersey.

Headquartered in nearby Somerset, SHI leveraged all of its resources to create a better tournament experience for fans, players and the company’s stakeholders. This effort resulted in a standout fan activation and the opportunity for local student athletes to learn more about golf, all while supporting the best female golfers in the world.

Creating a signature fan activation at one of the LPGA’s premier tournaments might not be something you’d expect from an IT solutions provider, but that’s what makes SHI so unique. As the largest Minority and Woman-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the United States, SHI is just as focused on bridging the gender gap in tech as it is defending against an evolving threat landscape. This dedication to empowering women is what connected SHI and LPGA in the first place, as the two organizations found value in joining forces to advance women both in the boardroom and on the golf course.

Knowing that fan engagement is a priority for the LPGA, SHI wanted to find a way to get fans more involved on-site. After much deliberation and planning, the SHI Long Putt Challenge was born. Made to resemble an actual hole on the golf course, artificial turf stretches 65 feet and is outfitted with fake bunkers and trees to add to the aesthetic. Providing this type of activity is key to improving a fan’s experience and their likelihood of sharing a positive review of both the tournament and the LPGA.

“I think the more support we have the better,” Corpuz said. “I think it’s awesome to just get as many people out here as possible, and something like the long putt challenge is just really fun and gets people active and more involved. It makes it an even better experience for the fans.”

Located across from the tournament’s practice putting green and just a short walk from the first tee and clubhouse, the SHI Long Putt Challenge is a can’t miss activity not just for fans, but players too. In fact, to help break in the activation, SHI had two of its ambassadors and LPGA stars take on the challenge. In the spirit of collaboration, Annie Park and Allisen Corpuz worked together to read the 65-foot putt before taking turns attempting it in front of a crowd of excited fans. As the activation drew more of an audience, fellow LPGA Tour players like Angel Yin joined in on the fun, each taking a few attempts at sinking the putt.

“I would love to see as many fans as possible come out this week and try this putt because it was really hard,” Park said with a laugh. “It’s just so great to have more fans involved at a golf tournament like this. Golf is so different than other sports, so to come up with an activity that engages the fans physically and mentally is awesome.”

With fan engagement covered, SHI shifted its focus to another challenge golf tournaments face: volunteer support. One of the things that makes professional golf tournaments so unique is the reliance on volunteers to successfully execute the events. From marshals and shuttle drivers to spotters and water rovers, there’s no shortage of positions that need filled by local volunteers. Luckily for the LPGA however, SHI had a local partner who was ready to lend a helping hand.

Back in 2019, SHI launched its first-ever sports partnership with nearby Rutgers University. The multi-year partnership made the IT solutions provider the Official Naming Rights Partner of Rutgers Stadium. This was a natural fit given more than 400 of SHI’s New Jersey-based employees are Rutgers University graduates. Through that connection, SHI recruited two dozen student athletes from Rutgers University to serve as standard bearers during the first round.

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Despite a variety of sports being represented amongst the student athletes, for most of them, this was their first golf tournament.

“I told my grandparents I was coming and they were very excited because they love golf,” said senior cheerleader Sophie Wilkinson. “So when I got my group, I immediately sent them a picture of who I was going to walk with, and now I can’t wait to tell them about my experience. Having the opportunity to walk with the players and watch them up close was special.”

Even for the athletes who play golf recreationally, serving as a standard bearer opened their eyes to how physically demanding the sport truly is.

“I play a lot of golf myself, but I’ve never walked 18 holes before,” said rising junior and wrestler John Poznanski. “I’ve always had a cart, so I’ll definitely feel it in my legs later. Mentally and physically, golf is no joke for sure.”

Volunteers no doubt have a huge impact on the success of golf tournaments, but in this case, the Cognizant Founders Cup was just as impactful on the Rutgers students. As athletes, having the chance to watch the best female golfers compete up close is the ultimate learning opportunity.

“They’re just so calm, cool and collected the entire time,” said Nick Cabiness, a rising senior on the cheer team. “For me with cheer, it’s a very nerve-wracking experience when we compete, so just being able to see them play at the highest level and remain so calm is something I want to work on improving for myself.”

For SHI, empowering people through opportunities like this and defending organizations from an evolving threat landscape are one and the same. These are challenges, issues, and problems that need solved, and if this week is any indication, there’s no limit to what SHI can do.