RBC Lends Support To Development

Over the past couple of weeks, GNN readers have been hearing about how organizations such as the Royal Canadian Golf Association, Canadian PGA and Canadian Tour have been discussing various means to support developing professionals from this country.

Add the Canadian Open’s title sponsor to the list as RBC has announced an initiative to help emerging professionals make the transition to the PGA and LPGA Tours, one of three announcements made on Wednesday.

RBC will also become a partner in the RCGA’s Team Canada high performance program and its national amateur championships, as well as putting company branding on the golf bags of Mike Weir and Stephen Ames, who become “Team RBC” ambassadors.

The initiative that is designed to support players such as PGA Tour rookies Chris Baryla and Graham DeLaet, as well as Lisa Meldrum and Samantha Richdale on the LPGA Tour will provide a combination of funding and comprehensive financial planning and private banking services.

The golfers who sign up for the program will become RBC ambassadors and have corporate branding on their golf bags.

“This step is a very important element of my development as a professional and my hat is off to RBC for taking a leadership role here and identifying the need,” DeLaet said.

“It’s clear they really get it and are doing an admirable job connecting all the dots through support of Canadian player development from the grassroots all the way up to those of us fortunate enough to make the leap to the PGA Tour,” he added.

The RBC initiative comes at a time when not only DeLaet, Baryla, Richdale and Meldrum have graduated to the highest levels of professional golf, but also when high-calibre Canadian amateurs, some on the verge of turning pro, are becoming recognized internationally.

RBC chief brand and communications officer Jim Little says the accomplishments of national team players such as Nick Taylor, Matt Hill and Jennifer Kirby, among others, highlight the importance of getting behind that program and the national championships.

“Extending our support to Canada’s national amateur championships not only allows talented Canadian players to compete in world class competitions on home soil, but also offers so many more golf enthusiasts and volunteers across the country the long-term opportunity to get involved and be a part of this great sport,” said Little.

RCGA executive director Scott Simmons agreed.

“Programs that promote grassroots and amateur competition as well as those that help support training and high performance opportunities are critical to Canadian golfers developing their competitive potential,” said Simmons.

RBC also announced multi-year extensions of its relationships with Weir and Ames.  RBC becomes the official bank for both players, who will have RBC branding featured prominently on their golf bags.

The recent announcement builds on existing relationships in which RBC is presenting sponsor of the Stephen Ames Cup junior competition between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. The Mike Weir Foundation is the national charity partner for the Canadian Open.

“I have been fortunate to have had a very close partnership with RBC for a number of years now and I’m thankful to see that continue,” Weir said.

“More importantly, however, I’m excited about their support at the amateur level and their investment in the future of Canadian golf,” he added.

“We are seeing many great, young Canadian golfers coming up and the support of RBC will not only help them succeed, but will provide the opportunities for even more amateurs to pursue their dreams in the sport.”

Ames agreed.

“Canadians are showing every week that they can compete with the best in golf,” he said.

“RBC’s grassroots commitment to the game will be a boost to the next generation of players that will pay dividends for years to come.

“Their strong commitment to charity, both through the RBC Canadian Open and my own charitable foundation, is also something that I’ve appreciated personally, not only for the future of the game, but also for the future of the programs that benefit communities across Canada,” said Ames.

Weir and Ames join rising tour star Anthony Kim with RBC branding on their bags.

“Over the past two years, supporting the RBC Canadian Open has increased our brand profile and given us an opportunity to engage so many of our clients, employees and community partners in an event that they enjoy,” said Little.

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