MasterCard continues to raise awareness of its mobile payments capabilities at PGA Tour golf events, with attendees at the Arnold Palmer Invitational the first to get the chance to use the card network’s QkR mobile payments application.

At the golf tournament, which runs from March 19 to 22, attendees will be able to pay for purchases using QkR as well as Apple Pay, with almost all of the terminals being EMV enabled.  MasterCard is leveraging its sponsorship of the PGA Tour to get its contactless solutions in front of new users as mobile payments adoption continues to grow.

“API is the first PGA Tour event where QkR will be available,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing officer at MasterCard, Purchase, NY.

“Throughout the year, MasterCard will continue to evaluate how we can couple our technology with our partnerships to provide our cardholders richer, safer experiences – whether at a sports event, a concert or in a restaurant,” he said.

Paying for concessions
Using the QkR app with MasterPass, attendees will be able to order and pay for concessions at the Arnold Palmer Invitational event directly from their phones.

QkR is available in eight concessions stands. Users will be able to order food and drinks from the nearest concession and collect it from the dedicated QkR pick up points.

QkR is available form the Apple App Store and Google Play. Once the app has been downloaded, users can create an account, choose a location, browse the menu and slide to pay.

On-site promotion
To promote the availability of the QkR app, MasterCard will employ social media, including sharing content with the Arnold Palmer Invitation organizers on Twitter.

Onsite, there will be marketing materials that promote QkR with MasterPass, including advertising on tournament materials, an announcement in the shuttle bus that transports attendees from the parking lot of Universal Studios and brings them to the tournament, on-course signage, inclusion in an tournament email blast as well information on the tournament Web site.

MasterCard also showcased how it is improving the fan experience through technology at a reception yesterday featuring demos with company representatives.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational activation follows MasterCard’s recent outreach at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which saw the company make Apple Pay available to MasterCard customers for select concession purchases (see story).

“Tuesday evening, we’ll host a reception for local and API-credentialed media at which our executives will demo the QkR! with MasterPass technology on-site – as well as chip card and contactless payments, which will also be rolled out this year at API,” Mr. Rajamannar said.

“The demo will show how easy it is to download and use the app to pay for concessions and merchandise at the tournament directly from an Android or iOS device,” he said. “In addition, spectators on-site can also use QkR! with MasterPass to make donations to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation.”

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York