Accenture & International Federation of PGA Tours Reach Extension Agreement
Accenture Match Play Championship to Move to Arizona in 2007
CARLSBAD, CA.; Feb. 26, 2006 – Accenture and the International Federation of PGA Tours jointly announced today that Accenture has extended its sponsorship of the Accenture Match Play Championship, for 2007 through 2010 and the event will move to Arizona beginning in 2007.
“We are delighted with Accenture’s extension of its sponsorship, continuing what has been a wonderful partnership,” PGA TOUR Commissioner, Tim Finchem said on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours.
The Accenture Match Play Chamionship is part of the World Golf Championships, a series of global events that bring the world’s best golfers together in competion in various formats at a variety venues.
The cornerstone match-play event will move to the South Course at Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Arizona, approximately 20 miles north of Tucson. The Gallery Golf Club (www.gallerygolf.com) at Dove Mountain’s South course, which was designed by two-time PGA TOUR winner John Fought, is a 7,351 yard par-72 layout that opened in December of 2003. The Dove Mountain community, which is nestled in the canyons of the Tortolita Mountains, also features a North Course, which opened in 1998.
“We’ve had a wonderful experience at La Costa,” said James E. Murphy, Accenture’s chief marketing & communications officer. “And now we’re looking forward to the Accenture Match Play Championship continuing its global success at the South Course of The Gallery Golf Club outside Tucson.”
All but one of the eight Accenture Match Play Championship events to date have been held at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.; the 2001 event was held at The Metropolitan Club in Melbourne, Australia. By extending its sponsorship, Accenture becomes the longest-running umbrella sponsor of a World Golf Championships series event.
The Tucson Conquistadores, a nonprofit civic organization which has organized the Tucson PGA TOUR event since 1966, will continue to play an active role with the Accenture Match Play Championship, primarily through hospitality and ticket sales.
“The Tucson Conquistadores have enjoyed a rewarding relationship with the PGA TOUR since 1966,” said Tom Arnold, president of The Conquistadores. “The Accenture Match Play Championship and a partnership with Accenture is by far the best thing that’s ever happened to the Conquistadores, our charities and our community. There are 60 years worth of PGA TOUR golf fans here ready to support Accenture every way we can.”
Proceeds from the Accenture Match Play Championship, as they are at all World Golf Championships, will be designated to the local chapter of The First Tee as well as other local and regional charities.
“The Accenture Match Play Championship will catapult Tucson and Southern Arizona’s profile as a golf destination,” said the Honorable BobWalkup, Mayor of Tucson. “Over 140 countries and 350-plus million households tune in to this prestigious television event. The Championship will have an over $100 million economic impact on our community. This is the largest impact any single event has brought to our community. We are honored Accenture and the PGA TOUR are giving Tucson residents, visitors and business leaders the opportunity to show them our fine Southwestern hospitality and style.”
The Accenture Match Play Championship traditionally has one of the year’s strongest fields. Tiger Woods is a two-time champion of the event and finished runner-up on another occasion.
About The Accenture Match Play Championship
The Accenture Match Play Championship event hosts 64 of the world’s top golfers in five days of single-elimation competition for a multi-million-dollar prize purse and the sought-after Walter Hagen Cup, named after golf’s greatest match-play competitor. The Accenture event is unique among the four World Golf Championships evnets in that it is the only head-to-head match-play championship.
Unlike stroke play, which counts all strokes for the 18 holes to produce a winner, match play is a hole-by-hole format, providing payers with stern tests of their golf skills, strategy and nerves. The opening event of the four 2006 World Golf Championships, the Accenture Match Play Championship is further distinguished by the four 16-player brackets that were added in 2003, making it even more compelling. This global golf event captures the spirit and culture of Accenture—to continually achieve through the very best performance, and then raise the bar even higher.
The 64 players are divided into four brackets of 16 players, each named in honor of four of the game’s greatest players: Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Gary Player and Sam Snead. Players in each of the brackets are seeded No. 1 through No. 16, with the top-ranked golfer player the No. 16 seed in the first round, No. 2 pairing off with No. 15, No. 3 meeting No. 14, and so forth.
This year marks the eighth playing of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, one of four World Golf Championships sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tour. The other World Golf Championships include the American Express Championship, Bridgestone Invitational and Barbados World Cup. For more information, please visit www.worldgolfchampionships.com. The Accenture Match Play Championship is viewed on television in more than 140 countries with over 27 hours of live coverage.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 126,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$15.55 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2005. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
###
Gary E. Beckner
+1 (312) 693 7880
James Cramer
+1 (904) 273 3293
Ryan Woodcock
+1 (480) 348 7540