The Ryder Cup, a biennial event that matches the top men’s professional golfers from the United States and Europe, will be played September 28-30, 2001. Joining KPMG as 2001 corporate partners are IBM, Lucent Technologies, Pfizer, Regus and Ireland 2005, a collaboration between the Irish government’s tourist board and three companies from the private sector – AIB Bank, Waterford Crystal and Aer Lingus.
We are delighted to be involved with the Ryder Cup, one of the world’s premier sports events, said Tim Pearson, KPMG global managing partner, marketing and communications. This is an exciting opportunity to link the global KPMG brand with an event that has immense international popularity, prestige and credibility.
The partnership is the capstone of KPMG’s involvement with pro golf. KPMG will also be a corporate sponsor of the 2001 U.S. Open in Southern Hills, Oklahoma, as part of a six-year commitment that started in 1999.
KPMG’s relationship with the Ryder Cup allows us to build and strengthen bonds with our market, said Pearson. Understanding our clients and their industries is what differentiates KPMG from our competitors.
As a Ryder Cup 2001 partner, KPMG will host an exclusive golf day at The De Vere Belfry and serve as the sole professional services organization among the six corporate partners. KPMG’s Ryder Cup involvement complements its sponsorship of the World Economic Forum, another internationally recognized premier event. The World Economic Forum, to be held January 25-30 in Davos, Switzerland, attracts more than 1,000 business leaders each year. It is widely considered to be the world’s global business summit.
All the corporate partners, together with other sponsors and suppliers, will play an active role in the staging of the 2001 Ryder Cup, said Richard Hills, the Ryder Cup director. Without their important support in key areas, we would not be able to stage a world-class sporting event, and we are looking forward to presenting what we hope will be the best Ryder Cup ever to be staged in Europe.
