Ballantine’s, the No.1 whisky in Europe and the No.2 ultra-premium and prestige Scotch whisky range in Asia-Pacific, has reinforced its association with golf by renewing its sponsorship of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open for a further two years.
Recognised as of one Scotland’s most iconic golfing events, this year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open will take place from 11-14 July 2013 at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness – close to Ballantine’s spiritual home, the Glenburgie Distillery – for the third year in a row.
The news of the brand’s extended golf sponsorship follows the hugely successful 2013 Ballantine’s Championship, which took place in South Korea last month and was won in style by Australian Brett Rumford after an exciting three-way playoff. Rumford went on to win the Volvo China Open the following week, becoming the first Australian in 41 years to win back-to-back European Tour titles.
The global reach of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open was a significant factor in Ballantine’s decision to renew its sponsorship, with the key objective of building brand awareness in key markets worldwide while also strengthening the brand’s golfing association. Ballantine’s presence at this year’s tournament will include branded bars for spectators, prominent on-course signage and player awards, including a bottle of Ballantine’s 12 Year Old for an eagle on the 12th hole and a bottle of Ballantine’s 17 Year Old for the lowest daily round.
Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, Peter Moore, comments; “Ballantine’s and golf share a strong historical and geographical heritage that continues to leave a lasting impression on the world, so we’re delighted to be extending our support of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open for another two years. This prestigious tournament highlights to the world the connection between Scotland and golf and, with our sponsorship, we aim to celebrate the core values that Ballantine’s shares with this great sport; integrity, originality, inner strength and tradition.”
Last year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open winner, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, clinched the title in a closely-fought final round against Italy’s Francesco Molinari. He was rewarded for his outstanding performance with a coveted bottle of Ballantine’s 30 Year Old in the tournament’s landmark 30th year. The 2013 tournament is expected to attract a world-class field once again, following the participation of golf stars such as Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson and José María Olazábal in the 2012 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
Ballantine’s association with golf started in 1960 when the first Ballantine’s Tournament took place at Wentworth Club. More than fifty years later, Ballantine’s is the title sponsor of the high-profile Ballantine’s Championship, one of Asia’s leading golf tournaments and part of the prestigious European Tour, and has been an official sponsor of the Scottish Open since 2007.
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