Pro Golfers Annika Sörenstam and Tony Finau Join State Street Global Advisors' Cup Challenge

In golf, as in financial investments, the middle matters. A lot. Maybe even most. 

Many investors think that large- and small-cap investments alone will provide them with broad market exposure, leading to a more successful portfolio. However, this approach overlooks the middle of the market investments, which have outperformed large and small cap investments over the past 30 years, causing many to miss out on earnings. 

To bring awareness to their MDY MIDCAP ETF, State Street Global Advisors and agency McCann New York teamed up to create the first annual 'MDY Mid-Cap Cup' challenge, with a 10-minute film featuring pro golfers Annika Sörenstam and Tony Finau, and the hilarious host of the tournament, Chet Kensington (played by Marc Evan Jackson). Annika and Tony face off for a round of golf, but there’s a catch: both golfers were asked to play the first nine holes without their middle clubs, leading to some major obstacles as both world-class players struggled.  

When asked how they felt about playing without their irons and wedges, Tony responded, “That sounds terrible.” After the front side, the players had their full set of clubs restored for the same holes, leading to significantly better scores, demonstrating that in golf, much like in our financial portfolio, the middle can make all the difference.  

While this isn’t State Street’s first foray into the world of golf, the challenge is definitely the first of its kind. Directed by seasoned pro Mac Eldridge, who worked for several years presenting the PGA Tour, the campaign will run from July 17th into Q4 of 2023 on national broadcast, streaming on ESPN, on major golf tournaments such as the British Open Championship, the Solheim Cup, and more. In addition to the broadcast buy, ads promoting the Mid Cap Cup Challenge will be seen on the PGA Tour website and through various social media efforts.