Bridgestone UK drives forward with huge golf sponsorship

Bridgestone UK’s tyre division is embarking on a golf sponsorship featuring a European Tour event partnership, the resurrection of a high-profile English tournament and a nationwide amateur competition with up to 1,900 golf clubs.

The tyre manufacturer has unveiled a three-pronged association with the sport, which will not only engage with thousands of amateur players across England, but will also include the reintroduction of an England-based Challenge Tour event after a three year absence.

Bridgestone’s holistic package of golf sponsorships includes:

• Official partner of the European Tour’s British Masters event, supported by Sky Sports, from October 13 to 16, hosted by Luke Donald at The Grove
• Headline sponsor of the Bridgestone Challenge, a Challenge Tour event, at Heythrop Park from August 25 to 28
• The creation of the Bridgestone DriveGuard Trophy, a Bridgestone amateur championship in association with England Golf, reaching up to 1,900 clubs and 650,000 players

The decision to embark on a high profile golf sponsorship represents a significant change from more commonplace sports partnerships in the tyre industry, with Bridgestone keen to create a stage for amateurs of all abilities to realise their dreams and play the game on the highest stage.

Bridgestone decided to embark on a golfing journey after a successful foray into the sport in 2015, where a tournament for amateur players yielded great exposure and significant interest in the company’s premium products.

This year will see an extension of this event in partnership with England Golf, with courses across England invited to introduce the Bridgestone DriveGuard Trophy onto their calendars between March, April and May.

The competition will be free to enter and accessible to golfers of all ages and handicaps and is open to men, women and juniors. It has been named after a new range of Bridgestone tyres called DriveGuard.

Each club winner will go on to play in regional DriveGuard Trophy finals in June and July, with the triumphant golfers in the regional finals going on to play in the pro-am of the Bridgestone Challenge event  in August.

To link the sponsorships, the winners of the Bridgestone Challenge pro-am will then win a trip to the British Masters, supported by Sky Sports, to play in the official pro-am, in October.

Bridgestone’s north region consumer sales and marketing director Farrell Dolan said: “We have identified huge potential from the world of golf and are extremely excited to be entering into a series of sponsorships covering such a broad range of the sport.

“To be able to leverage our innovative new DriveGuard category of tyres through this sports sponsorship is great news, as we are able to amplify the product to a captive and vibrant new audience.

“Not only this, but the exposure we will generate from our British Masters, supported by Sky Sports, partnership and English Challenge title sponsorships is vast, the latter of which will be making a welcome return to the golfing calendar after a three year absence.”

Jamie Birkmyre, European tour director of championship management, said: “It is fantastic news that Bridgestone are becoming a partner of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.

“The tournament was a huge success on its reintroduction to The European Tour last year and it is a real coup to be able to enjoy the backing of the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.”