There are going to be a lot of confused golf fans this weekend. It happens almost anytime a PGA Tour event changes its name, usually when it switches sponsors. However, this name change is particularly shocking and confusing.
Colonial has long been a staple on the PGA Tour. Even before there was a real PGA Tour, there was Colonial. The Ft. Worth club, often called Hogan's Alley, is practically synonymous with Ben Hogan. And now Colonial's name, sadly, is off the event.
The Colonial invitational tournament, previously sponsored by the hotel chain Crowne Plaza, is now sponsored by high-end grocer Dean & Deluca. The tournament has been renamed the Dean & Deluca Invitational, taking the Colonial name off the title of the event.
So, while the tournament may well only be rivaled by the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the quality of food served on site, a big part of the tournament's identity is no longer in the name. That will take some getting used to, although hopefully the Colonial name can be slapped on the end.
