Mercedes-Benz
extends golf activities: Title sponsor for Mercedes-Benz
Championship
Cooperation
with Bernhard and Erwin Langer
Professional
golf tournament to be established on European Tour
Contract
to run for 3 years
Stuttgart
- Mercedes-Benz has returned to Germany's oldest established
golf tournament. In the coming year, a professional golf
tournament with the title Mercedes-Benz Championship will be
organised jointly as part of the European Tour with the brothers
Bernhard and Erwin Langer. A contract to this effect has been
signed today stating that Mercedes-Benz will be the title
sponsor for an initial period of three years. Up to now, the
Championship was known as the German Masters.
It
is not only the name of this renowned tournament which is new,
but also the idea behind it. It will be played on the
"Winners Only" principle which is also used for the
Mercedes-Benz Championship on the US PGA Tour. Only players who
have either won tournaments on the European Tour 2007 or are in
the Top 75 of the world rankings or the Top 60 of the European
rankings will be qualified to take part. The number of
participants is limited to 75 and the tournament will be played
on four days without cut. For the tournament, which is to take
place from 10th - 16th September, 2007, the preferred venue
would be the GC Gut Lärchenhof in Pulheim near Cologne.
"We
are very pleased to have gained this exclusive platform for
Mercedes-Benz," said Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President
Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars. "We have
always pointed out that our brand values harmonise outstandingly
well with the image dimensions of golf. Bernard Langer has
already gone down in history as captain of the successful Ryder
Cup Team in 2004, and the continuation of our time-tried
cooperation with him and his brother Erwin will focus public
attention more strongly on the connections between Mercedes-Benz
and golf."
As long ago as 1987 - 1995, the Langer brothers
established the fore-runner of the Mercedes-Benz Championship,
the Mercedes German Masters, with Mercedes-Benz initially as
main sponsor, but after 1990 as title sponsor.
Planned as a tournament with major
participation from top-ranking European golfers, the
Mercedes-Benz Championship will be a trend-setter for the whole
continent.
Bernhard
Langer is also very satisfied about the partnership with their
new title sponsor. "We feel we are integrated in the
Mercedes-Benz global network and appreciate it very much. The
new concept promises to a very select field of participants and
will also allow us to present golf of the very highest standard
in Germany and Europe in future. I am really looking forward to
working together."
According
to George O'Grady, Executive Director of the European Tour, the
Mercedes-Benz Championship brings with it the return of the most
renowned and favourite tour on the tournament calendar and will
prove to be a definite enhancement for the European Tour.
"We are really pleased to be able to welcome Mercedes-Benz
as a sponsor once again and would like to congratulate Bernhard
and Erwin Langer on being able to carry on with their
tournament."
