PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, one of the world’s leading financial services groups, has signed on to become the first PGA of America Official Patron, the highest level of partnership and designation ever granted by the world’s largest working sports organization.
The PGA Official Patron program is designed to uniquely position each patron within the $62 billion-a-year golf industry and become a category-exclusive provider of products and services to The PGA of America, its more than 28,000 professionals, top industry executives and golf consumers worldwide.
"The PGA of America is proud to welcome The Royal Bank of Scotland into what will be a historic new chapter of partnership and public awareness in our Association," said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka. "RBS is the gold standard in providing the best in financial services worldwide. We believe that RBS will be the model for the PGA Official Patron program, which further demonstrates our Association’s commitment to its members."
"For over a century, RBS has been involved in the fabric of golf.
We are now honored to support the work of The PGA of America. We are happy to join in their efforts in promoting PGA events, including the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, and the grassroots work of their 28,000 dedicated golf professionals," said Allan Watt, RBS Head of Group Brand Communications.
With its new PGA Official Patron status, RBS furthers its already impressive record as a long-time supporter of the game of golf. In addition to its over 100-year affiliation with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and as a Patron of the Open Championship, RBS also supports The First Tee and includes Jack Nicklaus, Luke Donald and Paula Creamer as RBS Ambassadors.
As an RBS Ambassador and five-time winner of the PGA Championship, Jack Nicklaus applauds the new partnership. Jack Nicklaus also has a long history with The PGA of America, having been a PGA Member for over 41 years. He has played on six Ryder Cup teams, captained two others and the Barbara and Jack Nicklaus Junior Golf Endowment Fund is administered by The PGA Foundation. He was also a PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame inductee in 2006.
Each PGA Official Patron is recognized with unprecedented visibility
and marketing exposure at the PGA’s highest-profile Championships.
RBS designations from 2007-09 in the PGA Official Patron program
include:
Official Patron of The PGA of Americ
Official Patron of the PGA of America
Official Bank of The PGA of America
Official Bank of the PGA Championship
Proud Supporter of the 2008 Ryder Cup
Among the activities and sponsorship opportunities that RBS will have in the program are:
· Serving as the exclusive presenting
sponsor of the PGA Championship History Exhibit, which will be making its first on-site debut at the PGA Championship, Aug. 6-12, at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
· Serving as a co-presenting sponsor of
PGA Play Golf America Days, and at similar activities that incorporate the PGA Professional brand of golf instruction in key financial centers and markets in advance of PGA Championships and Ryder Cups.
· Supporting the PGA Championship, Ryder
Cup and PGA Grand Slam of Golf through substantial media commitments.
About The Royal Bank of Scotland Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group ("RBS Group") is one of the world’s leading financial services companies providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, and wealth management services. In 2006, RBS Group posted total revenue of $51.6 billion and operating profit before tax, goodwill amortisation and integration costs of $17.4 billion. RBS Group serves more than 36 million personal customers world-wide and employs more than 140,000 people, including nearly 30,000 in the US.
In the US, RBS Group owns Citizens Financial Group (retail bank, credit card and merchant acquiring businesses). Following the acquisition of Charter One in September 2004 it has grown to become the eighth largest US bank by deposits with a presence in 13 states.
About The PGA of America
The PGA of America is the world’s largest working sports organization comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world- class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today’s PGA Professional is the public’s link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.
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