SAS Championship tees up a week of golf, innovation and community impact

Fairway to Fun, HBCU Invitational, Women's Day and other signature programs extend the tournament's purpose beyond the course

CARY, N.C., Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Championship golf takes center stage Oct. 12-18 as the 2026 SAS Championship returns to Prestonwood Country Club, showcasing a weeklong celebration of sport, technology, education and community impact. The tournament brings together a celebrated field of players, thousands of fans and signature experiences including the HBCU Invitational, Women's Day, Folds of Honor Friday, a 5K road race, Food Truck Friday and the family-oriented Fairway to Fun. Together, these programs reinforce SAS' long-standing tradition of supporting education and community programs throughout the Triangle. This year's community initiative will again focus on the YMCA Annual Campaign, helping to fund their STEM programs.

For SAS, the Championship is more than a signature golf event. It reflects the company's long-standing role as a business and community partner in Cary and across the Triangle, bringing together sports, technology, education and local engagement in ways that create lasting value beyond tournament week.

Among the highlights of championship week is the return of Fairway to Fun on Friday, Oct. 16, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., extending the tournament's community impact into an evening built for families, students and fans. The family-friendly event brings back an AI experience zone packed with hands-on activities and giveaways, and every family that completes the course walks away with a free one-week YMCA membership pass. A rotating lineup of local food vendors – among them BareBakedPizza, Big Mike's BBQ, BO's Kitchen, Cousins Maine Lobster, Holy Fries, MoMoMandu and Two Roosters – will be on site. The dazzling fireworks finale is back again to bring a festive end to the night.

New this year, fans can also engage with the tournament through Fairway Forecast, a mobile web application developed by SAS. Powered by SAS analytics and AI, the experience provides player insights, tournament trends and an interactive chat feature that allows fans to explore competition data in real time. Visitors can track live results, explore the SAS Index, a proprietary analytics rating that measures projected player competitiveness, and make predictions on holes 17 and 18 to compete for prizes and leaderboard recognition. Fans can join the experience by scanning the Fairway Forecast QR code available at the tournament and through official SAS Championship channels.

"As SAS celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're proud that the Championship continues to bring people together around golf, community and the power of innovation," said Jenn Chase, SAS Chief Marketing Officer. "For decades, the tournament has reflected SAS' commitment to the Triangle – not only as a global data and AI company headquartered here, but as a dedicated community partner investing in students, families and future leaders. Fairway to Fun brings that commitment to life by helping students and families explore AI, data and emerging technologies in hands-on, engaging ways."

The SAS Championship and its fans have helped direct more than $6 million to youth education and community programs through the YMCA of the Triangle, including the Y Learning Intervention program. This amount includes SAS' long-standing annual donation to support Y Learning Intervention, with $220,000 for the 2026 event, continuing SAS' commitment to expanding STEM opportunities for students in the region.

"For years, the SAS Championship has been a powerful force for good across our community, and the unwavering support of SAS and tournament fans continues to create life-changing opportunities for the youth and families we serve," said Kim Keith, Vice President of Youth Development and Operations at YMCA of the Triangle.

The 2026 SAS Championship will include a variety of programs that connect the tournament with the broader community, extending its impact across education, leadership and service. Highlights of this year's charitable and educational efforts include:

• HBCU Invitational (Oct. 17-18): Now in its fifth year, the tournament welcomes 15 teams from 12 historically Black colleges and universities competing for $30,000 in honoraria from SAS for their golf programs. Students also attend a Career Day on Oct. 16^th at SAS headquarters in Cary for networking, mentorship and career exploration.
• Women's Day (Oct. 13): This 13th annual event offers inspiring sessions on health, mindset and leadership under the theme "Redefining Luck." The program will explore how today's women leaders are navigating change, embracing risk, and creating their own paths forward.
• Folds of Honor Friday (Oct. 16): A moving tribute to service members and first responders, featuring ceremonies, patriotic displays and 13 scholarships awarded to local students. SAS also contributes $30,000 to Folds of Honor to fund life-changing scholarships for families of Americaʼs fallen or disabled service members and first responders.

Tickets are available now for fans to experience championship golf, family-friendly events and community impact throughout the week.

About the SAS Championship
For more than 25 years, the SAS Championship has brought golf legends, fans and community partners together at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. The tournament is part of the PGA Tour Champions circuit and partners with the YMCA of the Triangle as its host charity. Championship week includes events that engage families, students, business leaders and community organizations while supporting youth education and other critical needs across the region.

About the YMCA of the Triangle
The YMCA of the Triangle is a 501(c)(3) charity and one of the region's largest and most trusted community-based organizations, serving Raleigh, Durham, Cary and surrounding communities since 1857. Each year, more than 235,000 people connect with the Y through 19 branches, three overnight camps and hundreds of program sites. Supported by more than $10.9 million in philanthropic giving, the Y helped more than 28,000 people in 2025 with access to programs and services that advance its vision of a community where everyone is healthier, every child and teen is resilient and no one feels alone. Learn more at YMCATriangle.org. The Y. A Community for a Lifetime.

About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI, helping organizations make confident decisions with AI they can trust. For decades, SAS has set the standard for delivering software that drives meaningful impact, incorporating deep industry expertise, transparency, and governance. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW^®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2026 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

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