PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (March 5, 2018) -- The PGA of America announced today that Microsoft Corp. will serve as the official Cloud computing supplier for Ryder Cup USA during the 2018 Ryder Cup, which will be contested September 28-30 at Le Golf National in Paris, France.
With the agreement, Microsoft will assist Scouts Consulting Group - Ryder Cup USA's Official Research & Analytics Partner - with various data, visualization and machine-learning methods.
Microsoft's focus as Ryder Cup USA's supplier will be to aid the U.S. Ryder Cup Team's decision-making process, with an emphasis on the following three areas:
* Player Statistics - Develop solutions for visualizing all the necessary player data and analytics that will help the U.S. Captain choose the finest four Captain's Selections to complete the 12-member U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
* Golf Course Visualization - Provide relevant information to enhance U.S. familiarity with Le Golf National and help the U.S. Ryder Cup Team capture its first victory on foreign soil since 1993.
* Ryder Cup Week Situational Awareness - At a moment's notice, perhaps in the narrowest of time frames between sessions, deliver real-time statistics that can confirm an observation, dispel a notion, or even prompt a unique pairing.
"In the current 'Moneyball' era of sports, analytics are increasingly important, and the marriage between golf and data is no exception," said Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer of the PGA of America. "This relationship with Microsoft ensures that the U.S. Ryder Cup Team has everything it needs in real time, whether it be in America or Paris in late September."
"Microsoft is excited to share our technology with Ryder Cup USA to digitize its strategy," said Chris Weber, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft. "We understand that the margin at the Ryder Cup is remarkably narrow and a single intelligent decision can be decisive."
For more information about the Ryder Cup, visit RyderCup.com. For more information about the PGA of America, follow @PGA on Twitter and find us on Facebook.
