Pebble Beach Resorts Deal With TaylorMade Means Change For Annual Pebble Beach Invitational
January 8, 2015
What was the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational will be now be the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational.
Recently, Pebble Beach Resorts announced TaylorMade Golf Company as an official brand partner in a multi-year deal that took effect on January 1. As part of the agreement, TaylorMade also became the title sponsor of the Pebble Beach Invitational, one of the resort’s longest running tournaments.
“TaylorMade is the industry leader in golf equipment innovations,” said Bill Perocchi, CEO of Pebble Beach Company in a statement, “and we are proud to welcome TaylorMade into our brand partner family. With this partnership, Pebble Beach Resorts and TaylorMade will provide our golfing guests with the very best in equipment and apparel to help make their experiences at our courses even more memorable.”
Normally held the weekend before Thanksgiving week, the Pebble Beach Invitational, presented by EMC2 , is one of golf’s most unique events. It is the only tournament that features professionals from the PGA, LPGA, Champions and Web.com Tours competing against one another for the same purse.
The 2014 championship, which was won for the third time by Champions Tour member Tommy Armour III, featured a purse of $300,000 with $60,000 going to the winner.
The invitational is held simultaneously at Del Monte Golf Course, Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach Golf Links Thursday through Saturday. Following the first three rounds, a cut is made with the low 40 professionals and ties advancing to Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach.
First held in 1972, the event is also great for fans. Along with free admission each day, spectators are granted ‘inside the ropes’ access during the tournament, meaning they can follow their favorite players directly down the fairways.
Callaway Golf had been the title sponsor of the tournament since 1997.
While there isn’t expected to be any additional changes to the tournament, it’s most likely a given that the field will now see more TaylorMade players.
“TaylorMade is committed to making this a signature event, and inviting a strong, exciting list of TaylorMadetour professionals to compete in this annual tournament at Pebble Beach,” RJ Harper, executive vice president of golf & retail for Pebble Beach Co. told the Monterey County Herald.
PGA Tour players using TaylorMade equipment include two-time AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am winner Dustin Johnson, 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and 2010 PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer.
LPGA Tour players include Danielle Kang and Paula Creamer, who just re-upped with TaylorMade, while Champions Tour members include 2014 First Tee Open at Pebble Beach winner John Cook, Bobby Clampett, Tom Lehman and Hale Irwin.
–Jerry Stewart
