May 2, 2005
BRIDGESTONE BECOMES OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
(PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL) -- The International Federation of PGA Tours has announced
that Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. has become an Official Sponsor of the World Golf
Championships for 2005.
Bridgestone Sports is a worldwide leader in manufacturing and marketing premium
golf equipment including balls, clubs and accessories.
"We are pleased to announce Bridgestone's new role as an Official Sponsor of the
World Golf Championships," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem on behalf of the
International Federation of PGA Tours. "We look forward to a long-term relationship
with Bridgestone and hope that it will grow over time."
"We are honored to enter into this relationship with the World Golf Championships,"
said Hisashi Kawano, the president of Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. "The World Golf
Championships is a highly regarded international series of events that fits perfectly
with the international nature of the Bridgestone family of brands.”
The World Golf Championships series features elite players in a variety of competitive
formats at venues around the world. Since the series debut in 1999, World Golf Championships
have been held in seven countries. When the Algarve World Cup in Portugal is held
this November, that number will increase to eight.
The agreement will allow for Bridgestone to advertise and leverage on-site relationship
building benefits around each of the three remaining 2005 World Golf Championships
events. The next World Golf Championships event is the NEC Invitational, August
16-21 at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio, followed by the American Express Championship
at San Francisco's Harding Park Golf Course, October 4-9 and the Algarve World Cup
in Portugal, November 15-20 at the Victoria Clube de Golfe-Vilamoura, in the Algarve
region of Portugal. The first World Golf Championships event of the year, the Accenture
Match Play Championship, took place in February at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad,
California and was won by David Toms.
Additionally, Bridgestone gains the right to promote its Official Sponsor status
in all of its advertising.
Accenture, American Express, NEC and Portugal are worldwide Umbrella Sponsors of
the World Golf Championships, while JELD-WEN, Kohler and Bridgestone are Official
Sponsors.
About the World Golf Championships
This year marks the seventh year of the World Golf Championships, which debuted
in 1999. The World Golf Championships are sanctioned and organized by the International
Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf
Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour. The World Golf
Championships include the Accenture Match Play Championship, American Express Championship,
NEC Invitational and Algarve World Cup in Portugal.
For more information, please visit worldgolfchampionships.com.
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Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. manufactures and markets premium golf balls, clubs
and accessories globally including the North American market under the Precept and
Bridgestone brand names. Based in Tokyo, Bridgestone Corporation is a worldwide
leader in the manufacture of automotive parts, most notably tires, and industrial
goods, and chemical products. Bridgestone is represented on a world stage by a number
of internationally famed golfers including, Fred Couples, Stuart Appleby, Shigeki
Maruyama and Nick Price.
Contact Information:
James Cramer
Director, Public Relations
World Golf Championships
Tel: (904) 273-3293
jcramer@pgatourhq.com
Jared Kelowitz
Account Manager
Jeff Dezen Public Relations (JDPR)
Tel: (864) 233-3776 x24
jaredk@jdpr.com