A Trend? - Ford Inks Golfer Mickelson Endorsement Deal

September 17, 2002

Rancho Santa Fe, California, Bloomberg News reported that Ford Motor Co. signed Phil Mickelson to a multiyear endorsement contract, linking the world's second-largest automaker with golf's second-best player.

Mickelson, 32, trails only Tiger Woods in the world rankings and on the U.S. PGA Tour's money list. Ford Division President Steve Lyons said the company didn't sign Mickelson as a way to compete with General Motors Corp.'s Buick Division, which has a sponsorship agreement with Woods.

"When we looked at this relationship we didn't try to model anybody," Lyons said on a media conference call. "Buick isn't probably our major competitor but I wish them well."

The multiyear endorsement agreement is likely worth about $1 million a year, said Jim Andrews, editorial director of IEG Sponsorship Report, a Chicago-based newsletter that values sponsorships for clients.

"Phil is the next best thing (to Woods)," Andrews said. "He has a pretty squeaky clean, all-American, good guy kind of image and those are the types of attributes I think Ford would want to associate with."

The agreement extends Ford's relationship with professional golf, which includes sponsorship of the Senior Players Championship and an endorsement agreement with Senior PGA Tour golfer Jim Ahern.

Lyons said Ford will start to use Mickelson in its print advertising and may feature him in future television commercials. The carmaker is also considering becoming title sponsor of an event on the regular U.S. tour.

"Having Phil working with us, I think this is a logical next step," Lyons said. "It's something we are looking at and we're hopeful that we can work something out in that area."

Although he's won 21 U.S. PGA Tour titles with his aggressive playing style, Mickelson has never won a major tournament in 42 tries.

Mickelson, who also has endorsement agreements with KPMG Consulting Inc. and Acushnet Co.'s Titleist brand, will begin wearing Ford's blue oval logo on his golf shirt during this week's American Express Championship in Dublin.