One of the PGA’s rarest partnership assets has become available for only the third time in 30 years, with Volkswagen Group Australia stepping away from its partnership with Australia’s most successful golf teams’ event, the Volkswagen Scramble.

They depart on a high with the Scramble enjoying near-record participation and field sizes during the most recent season of the popular grassroots competition.

“Volkswagen has been a wonderful and highly engaged partner since 2018 and has helped us build on the success of the Scramble. We thank Volkswagen and the dealer network for their support of the event over the past three years,” PGA of Australia Commercial Director Michael McDonald said.

“Volkswagen were disappointed to have to exit a partnership they loved and valued, particularly given the results the partnership had delivered, however due to changes within their business, they were just no longer in a position to partner with the PGA on next year’s season.”

“It’s our only partnership withdrawal from our premier or major partnership categories during the covid era and some changes had to be expected, however with golf participation increasing 28.8% in 2020 and two new major partners through the same period, Cisco Webex and Taylormade, we have seen some very positive growth in partnerships through what was originally expected to be a difficult period.”

“Callaway, adidas and Coca-Cola are key partners of the Scramble and given the success of these partnerships and the results Volkswagen are departing on, we are extremely confident of replacing this rare partnership asset ahead of the Scramble’s milestone 30th season.”

The Scramble is Australia’s largest and longest running golf event and has attracted more the one million players since the inceptual event in 1992.

It consistently engages more than 30,000 participants from over 360 golf clubs around the country each year, with 65% of events played in regional communities.

In an effort to align the event with the Australian summer of golf, the Championship Final of the 2020/21 season will take place at Twin Waters Golf Club and Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort on 10-13 December – the week following the PGA’s flagship tournament, the Australian PGA Championship.

The Sunshine Coast has hosted the Championship Final for 24 years, providing qualifiers with the experience of a lifetime.

The 30th season of the PGA Scramble will commence in February 2022 and will conclude in September, creating more opportunities for clubs to stage a Scramble event at a time that fits with both their climate and golf calendar.