Stanford St. Jude-
The Stanford St. Jude Championship announced today significant enhancements to the 2007 tournament, signifying a "new day" for the Memphis PGA TOUR stop set for June 4-10 at TPC Southwind.
Stanford Financial Group, the tournament's new titleholder, has been working with the local tournament staff and the PGA TOUR to provide enhancements to the Memphis event in order to elevate its status among the 40 tournaments that comprise the FedExCup on the PGA TOUR. The tournament previously announced a new date, moving the event from Memorial Day weekend to one week prior to the U. S.
Open, and an increased purse of $6 million, making it one of the largest purses on the PGA TOUR. In December the tournament added a new executive director to complement and expand the capabilities of the tournament's existing staff.
Tournament officials kicked off the press conference with the presentation of a $1 million check to St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital® representing the proceeds from the 2006 FedEx St. Jude Classic. This is the second straight year, and the fifth time in the past seven years, that the tournament has reached the million-dollar milestone for St.
Jude, the world¹s premier center for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. The tournament has now raised more than $17.5 million for St.
Jude since adopting it as its sole beneficiary in 1970. More than 92 percent ($16.2 million) of those dollars were raised during the 21 years FedEx was the event¹s title sponsor (1986-2006).
Officials also announced the following new elements to the 2007 Stanford St. Jude Championship:
o A multi-million dollar advertising campaign to promote the event. The campaign's theme of "Desire Knows No Bounds" features Camilo Villegas, David Toms and John Daly golfing in urban and other uncharacteristic settings throughout Memphis.
Villegas is seen teeing up at the gates of Elvis Presley's Graceland and hitting line drives along Memphis' trolley line; Toms is hitting balls from one downtown building roof to another; and Daly is featured driving balls across the Mississippi River on the bluffs of Memphis. The spots also feature the voice talent of Dennis Haysbert, star of the CBS military drama "The Unit," former star of the FOX thriller "24," and current spokesperson for Allstate. The print, broadcast and web-based advertising campaign will launch in February with significant exposure in Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated and the GOLF CHANNEL, among others.
o An agreement with the GOLF CHANNEL to be on site for the entire week of the Stanford St. Jude Championship. This is the first time the network, which is the exclusive cable home of the PGA TOUR, has committed week-long, on-site coverage of the Memphis tournament.
The GOLF CHANNEL is available in more than 100 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies.
o An enhanced Pro-Am that takes the number of amateurs from four to three, thereby reducing the teams from five players to four. This format is preferred by the TOUR professionals and brings the Memphis event in line with other top-tier stops on the PGA TOUR.
o A celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of the tournament and featuring some of the event's iconic historical winners. On Tuesday, June 5, past winners Lee Trevino, Al Geiberger, Curtis Strange and Jerry Pate will be on hand for a fan question and answer session, a Champions Clinic and a Champions Skins Game that will pair a current playing champion with a senior champion in a scramble format over four holes for $50,000 in prize funds for St. Jude.
o Increased and improved on-site corporate hospitality offerings. In addition to enhanced options for food and beverage as well as physical amenities (i.e.
tents) for existing hospitality, new corporate hospitality options are being offered, including a new Skybox to be built to the left of the 11th green.
o An enhanced fan experience with the addition of The Eagles Nest, a 12,000-square-foot hospitality destination offering spectators improved food and beverage options with the involvement of local restaurants that highlight Memphis' culture and cuisine. In addition, tournament visitors will find an overall new look and feel to the event layout including several "comfort stations" at strategic locations on the golf course that will provide shade and other spectator amenities.
o A new tournament web site which includes, for the first time, the ability to purchase and print tickets to the event online. The site, www.stanfordstjude.
com, will launch February 1.
"We couldn't be happier with the developments for the Stanford St. Jude Championship," said Eric Mehl, executive director.
"The tournament with the help of its new title sponsor and the PGA TOUR set out on a mission to elevate this event. I think it's evident by these announcements today that we're serious about doing that. It's exciting to be at the helm of re-engineering the Memphis PGA TOUR stop, and it goes hand-in-glove with the renaissance that Memphis, as a city, is experiencing.
This city has a vibe that is indescribable, and when you combine that with the power of the PGA TOUR and the passion of and for St. Jude, we'll have an event that shouldn't be missed," said Mehl.
"I applaud Stanford St.
Jude on the many enhancements they have made to our annual event in Memphis," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "From the beginning of their sponsorship, the leadership team at Stanford made a commitment to raise the stature of the event, and they have been diligent in bringing new resources and ideas to every facet of the event. From their charitable relationship with St.
Jude, to fan enhancements and corporate hospitality offerings, to celebrating the 50-year history of the tournament, the Stanford team has left no stone unturned and we appreciate all their efforts."
The defending champion of the tournament is Jeff Maggert, who won for the first time in more than seven years on the PGA TOUR with his victory at the 2006 FedEx St. Jude Classic.
It was his third career title.
Assuming the title sponsorship of the tournament and committing additional financial support to enhance the event are part of Stanford Financial Group's commitment to align its brand with the game of golf. Earlier this year, the company announced a new charitable investment program with the GOLF CHANNEL and the PGA TOUR that provides a donation to St.
Jude for every eagle made on the PGA TOUR.
The company also previously announced endorsement agreements with PGA TOUR players Camilo Villegas, David Toms and Vijay Singh who will act as ambassadors for the company and wear the Stanford shield logo.
Singh, who just garnered his 30th PGA TOUR win at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Kapalua, Hawaii, and David Toms, who placed 8th at the PGA TOUR season opener have signed multi-year endorsement deals with Stanford Financial Group.
The announcement represents a continued enhanced presence with the PGA TOUR for Stanford, a Houston-based global financial services company. Stanford is the new title sponsor for the 2007 Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis, set for June 4-10 at TPC Southwind.
Specific financial terms of the endorsement deals with both PGA TOUR champions were not disclosed. The endorsement agreements include logo representation, personal appearances and inclusion in Stanford internal and external branding initiatives. Just this past November, Stanford announced an endorsement agreement with Colombian golfer Camilo Villegas.
Villegas is the first native-born Colombian to qualify for The Masters, and his popularity in his native Colombia caused Colombian TV to pick up 30 PGA TOUR golf broadcasts in 2006. A Rookie-of-the-Year contender, he had four top-five finishes last year highlighted by his 2nd place finish one shot behind Tiger Woods at the Ford Championship at Doral.
Recently inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Singh, who is 43, set a record for wins over the age of 40 with his recent PGA TOUR victory in Hawaii.
He was the PGA TOUR money leader in 2003 and 2004, and in addition to his 30 PGA TOUR wins, has won 22 international victories and three Major Championship titles, including the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004 and the Masters in 2000. He arrived on the PGA TOUR in the United States in 1993 and won in his first year while garnering Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He has been a member of the international team for all six of the President's Cup competitions.
Toms is the winner of 12 PGA TOUR titles, and is currently ranked 19th in the world. He is a three-time Ryder Cup team member and a two-time President's Cup team member.
According to R.
Allen Stanford, Chairman and CEO of Stanford Financial Group, the international appeal of both the game of golf and these particular players is a fit with Stanford's global reach. Singh is a native of the Fiji Islands, Villegas is from Colombia and Toms is from Shreveport, LA.
"We are a private wealth management company with a presence both in the U.
S. and abroad. Golf is a sport that transcends borders, and that's a key reason why we've aligned our brand with the PGA TOUR and with these champions.
They represent the diverse personality of the game of golf - in terms of age and nationality. We're proud that they've agreed to represent our company and wear our eagle shield. I'm especially proud of Vijay for his recent victory at the Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Everyone likes to be associated with a winner, so I guess our timing in agreeing to endorse Vijay was a victory for us both," said Stanford.
Singh said he's delighted to join forces with Stanford - and thrilled with his recent PGA TOUR win. "It's great to partner with a company like Stanford that brings such integrity and excellence to its business.
In all my dealings with the company and its executives, I get a real sense of their desire to be at the top of their game. That's a desire I suppose we share, and I'm glad that my desire to win brought me a victory in Hawaii," said Singh.
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