Ladies Golf Sponsors
Ladies golf sponsors have realized the potential of the massive worldwide audience of major ladies golf tournaments recognized by the LPGA.
For decades the golf course was predominantly a male domain, women aren’t even allowed in the "19th Hole" to this day in some places, it’s difficult to believe that type of sexism being allowed to exist in many other areas of the western world, but anyway, ladies golf is now thriving and a set of championships have evolved which can parallel those that the men have had for years.
Any sports sponsorship is renowned for being difficult to come by, whether it’s for an individual sportsman (or woman) or for a firm to sponsor a championship, money is very tight, but fortunately, many multi national businesses have opened their eyes to the world of ladies golf and have realized what an excellent sponsorship opportunity it offers, after all, it now attracts a wide and diverse audience worldwide. Many of these championship tournaments are played over 72 holes, (four times round for those without a calculator), which is the same length as the men.
LPGA Majors Sponsorships
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) recognizes four major tournaments, which has changed a few times over the past years, more recently losing the du Maurier Classic in Canada which lost its sponsorship after Canada passed strict laws restricting tobacco advertising, so that put paid to that.
Rolex is the founding sponsor of the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings and plays a major sponsorship role in womens golf. The four major tournaments recognized by the LPGA played each year are:
- Kraft Nabisco Championship – held in California with a prize fund of more than $2,000,000
- LPGA Championship – sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets Inc. and offering up a prize fund of more than $2,250,000
- U.S. Women’s Open – prize fund of $3,250,000
- Ricoh Women’s British Open – the only major played outside the USA sponsored by Ricoh Global Services, prior to 2007 it was sponsored by Weetabix, the breakfast cereal company
