The PGA Tour is in negotiations to make a return to Michigan with a regular stop in Detroit.
According to a report in The Detroit News, Quicken Loans, which is based in Detroit, is set to become title sponsor of the new event, which would begin in 2019 and would be played at Detroit Golf Club.
The Detroit News reached out to Detroit Golf Club for comment, but they declined. The anonymous source cited in the piece was unable to go public with the Tour's negotiations.
This event would mark the first time the PGA Tour has held an event inside the Detroit city limits. Past PGA Tour events, including the Buick Open, were held outside the city. Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club was often host in Grand Blanc. The Buick Open's final year was 2009.
Quicken Loans did not continue as sponsor of Tiger Woods' The National event after last year at TPC Potomac in the final year of its four-year deal to be title sponsor. Quicken Loans expressed an interest in continuing as a PGA Tour sponsor, but wishing to do so in Detroit.
"As we look to the future, we remain interested in exploring ways to highlight the energy and revitalization taking place in Detroit," a statement to The News read in September. "A prime golf event, featuring the world's best players, is certainly something we would be interested in pursuing as a way to showcase our great American city."
There have been a few false starts on the front of bringing a PGA Tour event back to Detroit. It had been rumored in 2009 and 2010 Cadillac would step in to sponsor an event, shifting off their World Golf Championships commitment at Doral. Quicken Loans had also sought to sponsor a special exhibition in 2016 with Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy playing on opposite teams with Mark Wahlberg and Justin Timberlake. That planned exhibition, which was to tease interest in a future PGA Tour event, was shelved.
It's unclear where a Detroit event would fall on the PGA Tour's 2018-19 schedule. However, The National is expected not to return to the PGA Tour schedule after this season, with the event going forward without a sponsor. This Detroit event could take The National's spot. It's unclear if The National could simply move or if a new tournament would spring up in Detroit.
The PGA Tour aims to announces its 2018-19 schedule at The Players Championship in two weeks. There are currently several question marks on the schedule for next season, as The Players will move back to March from May and the PGA Championship will move from August to May. The Houston Open lacks a sponsor, as does the National. Colonial Country Club has landed a four-year deal with Charles Schwab to continue sponsoring their event. Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, will end its 60-year run as a PGA Tour stop after this year. The Tour is also expected to cut the Dell Technologies Championship from the FedEx Cup playoffs, shortening the postseason series to three events with the goal of ending the season on Labor Day.
