5/29/2026 - By Mike Hess

Every year, we see some of the greatest events in golf under the PGA mantle: The Players Championship, The U.S. Open, The PGA Championship, and, of course, The Masters. But 2026 marks a historic year as it’s the first year since 2024 that a new Signature Event was added to the PGA regular season schedule, with the Cadillac Championship holding its inaugural tournament at the famous Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.

The Cadillac Championship is the fifth of eight Signature Events on the 2026 PGA schedule. While Cadillac previously sponsored tournaments in 2011-2016 (WGC Cadillac Championship), this event does not carry over previous Cadillac event history, serving as a fresh slate. The first PGA event held in Miami in 10 years, the Cadillac Championship brought the tour back with the 56th event hosted by Blue Monster for the PGA since 1962, and plans are already in place to return next year.

The Crew Who Made the Cadillac Championship Happen

A tournament as large and significant as this certainly doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of hundreds of hands being committed to the plow for hundreds more hours. Harrell’s Territory Manager, David Plunkett, has worked closely with the crew leading up to the Cadillac Championship, lending expertise, helping hands, and course diagnosis.

“These guys work tremendous hours, but the guys on the crew are like ants, working their tails off,” David Plunkett said about the whole team at Blue Monster. “Volunteers come in from everywhere to work the championship, not just from the US, but also from Spain, England, Scotland, to name a few. The hours they keep are amazing, some on 3-4 hours of sleep, up early for the morning shift, long layoff before the evening shift, followed by a short sleep, before back at it the next day, making for a solid week.

Now, for most of the crew it is crazy hours, lots of overtime and a matter of survival. For the volunteers, it’s an exciting opportunity to be a part of something special, an experience they’ll remember forever. For the staff (at the course) like Steve (Kelly, Director of Agronomy), Nick (Carothers, Golf course Superintendent), and Joe (Haskins, Silver Course Superintendent), it means a ton to have all of these people make it happen.”

The Cadillac Championship - Culmination of a Career

To host and have the opportunity to work for an event like this is the dream of many superintendents, “the culmination of a career for many,” as David Plunkett said. Putting on a championship at this caliber offers the course the opportunity to show what they can produce, to test the very best in the game, and to produce an incredible showcase for the world of golf and the Miami area.

The amount of moving parts behind the scenes in the weeks and months leading up to the first tee off is staggering. “It’s preparing so many things to come together at the right time, under incredibly stressful conditions, with unpredictable Mother Nature always ready to throw a wrench in the best laid plans. So many things can go wrong, and it takes an unbelievable effort by so many to keep it all in place. It takes talent, training, dedication, and perseverance to make it through a PGA Tour event, not something for the faint of heart or weak of mind.” David said.

Regarding the many incredible people working the tournament, David said, “People who’ve never worked it have absolutely no idea the amount of work that goes into these events. They don’t ‘just happen’ but require tremendous thought and coordination. Plus, help and support from people like us at Harrell’s, our friends at Syngenta, Envu, BASF, etc. We have brought them lots of snacks, energy bars, drinks, not to mention full lunches/dinners to feed 131 hungry, exhausted mouths. I was there for the full tournament week, doing everything I could to help, just one example of the many others doing the same. All part of Growing a Better World!”

Looking Ahead at The Cadillac Championship

The Cadillac Championship is still slated for the 2027 PGA tour lineup and is looking to be once again held at the Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral. Though there are still details to be figured out for the Florida swing that leads to the Masters. Congratulations to the entire staff, crew, and volunteers once again for an incredible tour event and we’re looking forward to returning to Blue Monster for the 2027 Cadillac Championship.