PGA Tour golfers, Brandt Snedeker (L) and Ian Poulter team up with MasterCard at Arnold Palmer Invitational to see the latest and greatest in payment technology at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

PGA Tour golfers, Brandt Snedeker (L) and Ian Poulter team up with MasterCard at Arnold Palmer Invitational to see the latest and greatest in payment technology at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spectators at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard (API) no longer have to miss out on the action at the tournament with the introduction of the latest technology from MasterCard. Golf fans will now have access to faster and more secure ways to pay at concession and merchandise point of sale terminals throughout Bay Hill where MasterCard is enabling acceptance of chip cards, contactless payments, and QkR! with MasterPass. This means spectators can take advantage of the latest payment technologies, including Apple Pay.

QkR! with MasterPass will allow fans to order and pay for concessions at the event directly from their Android or iOS device. The app is powered by MasterPass, a digital wallet from MasterCard that stores payment information in one convenient and secure place. Onsite, fans will also be able use the app to make a donation to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation.

Spectators with EMV, or chip credit cards will be able to dip those cards at all concession and merchandise terminals at Bay Hill. The U.S. is in the middle of migrating to the more secure payment standard in which credit cards have an embedded chip that encrypts transaction data differently for each purchase. When a chip credit card is scanned at the retailer, there are two data pieces that are used for authorization to confirm that the cardholder is indeed the person making that purchase.

MasterCard and the PGA TOUR debuted contactless payment acceptance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in January, allowing spectators to use mobile payments platforms like Apple Pay for the first time at a TOUR event. At API, merchandise and concession terminals will be contactless enabled, allowing golf fans to make payments using Apple Pay and other NFC-enabled devices and services.

“MasterCard is always thinking about how we can use our technology to enhance the consumer experience whether they’re shopping online, in a store or even at a golf tournament,” said Matt Barr, group head, North America Emerging Payments, MasterCard. “At API, we knew we wanted to provide a way for fans to get through concessions and back to the tournament quickly, so we took what we have been doing with our bank, retail and technology partners and brought it to Bay Hill. Fans can tap their phones, dip their cards, or use an app to buy food and drinks—quickly and securely.”

"What better place than the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard to showcase the latest in payment technologies," said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. "MasterCard has left no stone unturned in an effort to make it safe and easy for PGA TOUR fans to make purchases at the tournament and spend more time watching golf than waiting in line for concessions or merchandise."

New payment technology is just the beginning of how MasterCard is delivering an enhanced experience to golf spectators. Cardholders who use their MasterCard cards onsite during the Arnold Palmer Invitational – which begins Thursday, March 19th on The Golf Channel – may also get a Priceless Surprise!

About MasterCard

MasterCard, www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.