It's that time of year when brands announce new tour player partnerships - here's all you need to know
Alison Lee becomes an ECCO GOLF Ambassador
27th February
ECCO GOLF have announced the signing of LPGA Tour star Alison Lee to its team of brand ambassadors. The 29-year-old Los Angeles native brings a wealth of talent and joins off the back of her most impressive year on tour to-date.
The World Number 18’s journey into professional golf was meteoric, going from college golfer to LPGA Tour player in just a year and a half, before featuring at the 2015 Solheim Cup for Team USA.
Whilst Lee is still chasing her first LPGA Tour victory, she has stepped into the winners’ circle twice on the Ladies European Tour to-date, having won the Aramco Team Series Sotogrande in 2021, and the Aramco Team Series Riyadh in 2023.
Lee, who has been a fan of ECCO GOLF shoes for a number of years, will step into the 2024 season wearing ECCO GOLF TRAY. “I can’t wait to get started in 2024 wearing ECCO GOLF shoes. They are by far the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve ever worn, and having the opportunity to take the next step with the brand as a global ambassador is a wonderful opportunity,” she commented.
Timo Vollrath, Head of Global Marketing at ECCO GOLF, expressed his excitement about the new partnership: "We are thrilled to welcome Alison to the ECCO GOLF family,” he said. “Her impressive journey in golf perfectly embodies the values we have here at ECCO. We believe this partnership can help to elevate Alison's game, and we’re excited to work with her in 2024 and beyond.”
Toyo Tires partners with golfer Yuka Saso
21st February
The parent company of Toyo Tire Holdings of Europe GmbH, Toyo Tire Corporation, has signed a sponsorship agreement with Japanese female professional golfer Yuka Saso.
As part of Toyo Tires, a partner of the AIG Women's Open, branding activities, the company supports athletes aiming for the top and challenging the world. We are pleased to welcome Yuka Saso as a new member of the athletes in "Team Toyo Tires'', sponsored by our company. She has achieved excellent results since her amateur days, winning the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Ladies Invitational in the Philippines, on the women's tour as an amateur at just fourteen years old. After turning professional in 2019, she has been active globally, winning her first tour victory at the 2020 NEC Karuizawa 72 Golf and her first major victory at the 2021 U.S. Women's Open.
Commenting on the partnership, Yuka Saso said “We have recently entered into a sponsorship contract with Toyo Tires. I am very happy and honored to be a member of Team Toyo Tires. I'm really looking forward to moving forward together on the world stage. I will do my best to continue to grow as a professional golfer and as a person.”
The sponsoring is another expression of the company’s brand message, “Open Roads Await” reflecting the opportunities which Toyo Tires products are designed to challenge.
Callaway Golf announces Minjee Lee as a new Staff Professional
5th February
Callaway Golf has announced a new multi-year staff pro agreement with global women’s golf superstar, Minjee Lee. With this announcement, Lee will carry 14 Callaway clubs in the bag, including an Odyssey Putter, plus a Callaway golf ball, bag, and glove.
The 27-year-old Australian native has been a dominant player throughout her golf career. Lee was the #1 ranked Women’s Amateur prior to turning professional in 2014, and since then she has won 10 LPGA Tour events, including major victories at the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship and the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open. She recently won two LPGA events in 2023 at the Kroger Queen City Championship and the BMW Ladies Championship. Her brother Min Woo Lee is also a Callaway PGA TOUR Professional.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Callaway Staff, and I’m excited to see how their equipment will help my performance going forward,” Lee said. “They’re the most played club brand on the LPGA, so I’ve seen how good the product is, and how much it’s helped my brother take his game to the next level. Now that I’ve had a chance to try their new driver and the Chrome Tour Ball, I feel confident in my setup, and I know that this is the right decision for me.”
“Minjee is such a special talent, and we want to help her reach her goals, win more events, and compete on the biggest stages,” said Tim Reed, SVP of Pro Tour at Callaway Golf. “Our fitters have had a great experience so far working with her, listening to her feedback, and getting everything dialed for her game. We can’t wait to see what she achieves with our equipment in play.”
Her current bag features a Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Driver, an Odyssey Putter, and a new Chrome Tour X Ball.
