RBC yesterday announced six-year title sponsorship extensions with the PGA Tour event in Hilton Head, S.C., and the Canadian Open, keeping the bank as the only sponsor to "put its name on two PGA Tour events," according to Jeff Shain of the Hilton Head ISLAND PACKET. The extension for the RBC Heritage gives South Carolina's "largest sporting event" seven more years of "tranquility with RBC," as next year's tournament was already secure from a previous extension. Next year's tournament purse for the Heritage will rise from a $5.9M to $6.5M and the event will see "incremental increases though the extension." RBC picks up about 70% of the sponsor cost at the Heritage, with Boeing's presenting sponsorship "providing most of the rest." Heritage Classic Foundation Chair Simon Fraser said that renewal discussions with Boeing "are ongoing," as are talks with Sea Pines Resort to "continue Harbour Town's role as host." Both are expected to be "wrapped by summer's end" (Hilton Head ISLAND PACKET, 7/21).
HOME COOKIN': GLOBAL NEWS' Robert Thompson wrote the country's only PGA Tour event is "safe for at least another six years" with RBC signed on through '23. Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons called RBC an "'iconic' brand and great partner for the tournament." Simmons said, "RBC's support of the game from the grass roots right up to the elite level in Canada is unprecedented, and I can say matter of factly, that the game in this country would not be where it is today without the support of RBC." Thompson wrote while having the Canadian Open follow the British Open makes it "challenging to draw a top field, RBC has been creative in its time as sponsors." The brand has signed deals with a "number of players," including Jason Day, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els (GLOBALNEWS.ca, 7/20). RBC Chief Brand & Communications Officer Mary DePaoli said, "Our sponsorship of the Canadian Open is important to us, because we are Canada's largest employer, and in our home market, this is a tournament that matters a lot us" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/20).
