Organizers of the upcoming LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup announced April 20 that RWJBarnabas Health has been named the Official Healthcare Provider for the tournament, which takes place May 10-14 at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton.

It is the third straight year that RWJBarnabas will serve in this role, which will see the health care system manage all on-site Emergency Medical Services (EMS) throughout tournament week.

Because the event falls during Women’s Health Care Month, there will be a heavy focus on reminding attendees that “all women should prioritize their health and well-being.”

Additionally, preventive health screenings will be available on the tournament grounds. Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour players will put out a series of tips to encourage women to take ownership of their health and well-being through regular check-ups and preventative screenings, as well, which will be amplified across all RWJBarnabas and LPGA digital and social media channels.

“In addition to watching world class athletes perform on the golf course, this partnership provides RWJBarnabas Health with an opportunity to educate and empower women to take care of themselves,” said Suzanne Spernal, senior vice president women’s services, RWJBarnabas Health, in a press release announcement. “Research confirms what we’ve long known – healthier women and children are crucial to a vital community. Reinforcing this image in partnership with the LPGA, especially during the Women’s Health Care Month, will be impactful.”

“We are thrilled to have RWJBarnabas Health back as the Official Healthcare Provider of the event,” said Scott Wood, tournament director, Cognizant Founders Cup. “As the premier Healthcare System in New Jersey, their values align with our mission, and it’s extra meaningful to engage their expertise and support in conjunction with Women’s Health Care Month initiatives.”

The tournament, which has a $3 million purse, pays tribute to the 13 founding members of the LPGA, and is one of the largest of any non-major event on the LPGA schedule. Teaneck-based Cognizant, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, doubled the prize money when it took over as title sponsor in 2021. Additionally, the event was moved to North Jersey after a decade of being played in Phoenix.

Due to the pandemic, the tournament made its Garden State debut in October 2021 at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell. The event moved back to its normal May slot in 2022. Because of that short turnaround, Mountain Ridge was unable to accommodate, and Upper Montclair, which had previously been an LPGA partner venue but had not hosted the event since 2009, stepped in and agreed to a three-year-partnership to present the tournament.

“The LPGA is thrilled to return to Upper Montclair Country Club and make this historic venue the new home of the Cognizant Founders Cup,” Wood told NJBIZ last year.

The tournament also kicks off an unprecedented stretch of prestigious women’s golf tournaments being held here in the Garden State, with four events set to take place over a six-week span in both North and South Jersey, including:

• Cognizant Founders Cup: May 10-14 at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton
• Mizuho Americas Open: May 30-June 4 at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City
• ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer: June 7-11 at Seaview in Galloway Township
• KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: June 21-25 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, which is a Major Championship

“We are thrilled that N.J. will be the epicenter of women’s golf in 2023, allowing the LPGA, PGA of America and our sponsors to use our collective platform to inspire young girls and women throughout NJ and the surrounding Tri-state region,” said Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA commissioner. “The combination of these four truly first-rate and meaningful events played at some of the best golf courses in the world in a major market provides a rare and exciting opportunity to not only elevate women’s golf but also elevate the conversation around women’s leadership and empowerment more broadly.”