Polo Golf Becomes AJGA Premier Partner
Longtime AJGA Supporter inks a five-year agreement, increasing its support of junior golf

After 12 years of support of the American Junior Golf Association, Polo Ralph Lauren has signed on to become an AJGA Premier Partner, the AJGA announced Thursday. The five-year agreement secures Polo Golf as the second Premier Partner, joining Rolex Watch, an AJGA Premier Partner since 2004.

With the added level of support, Polo Golf’s presence in junior golf is heightened on numerous fronts. Polo Golf is now the proprietor of the Polo Golf Rankings. The comprehensive ranking system is used to finalize AJGA Invitational fields and select Rolex Junior All-America teams.

“We are thrilled here at Polo Ralph Lauren to continue to expand our partnership with the AJGA,” said Joy Herfel, President, Polo Brands - Polo Ralph Lauren. “This is truly the future of golf and our future Polo Golf customers.”

The Polo Golf Junior Classic, an AJGA invitation-only event that the brand has sponsored for nine years, will now be elevated to an even higher status within the top-tier of junior golf tournaments. The event, which has crowned such impressive champions as Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer and Grace Park, will continue to attract junior golf’s brightest while providing the best tournament experience possible.

As part of the agreement, Polo Golf also becomes an Official Partner to the PING Junior Solheim Cup, an international team match play event that pits the best junior girls from the United States against their European counterparts. The fourth biennial PING Junior Solheim Cup will take place at Bastad Golf and Country Club in Nya Bana, Sweden, in 2007.

Polo Golf also becomes a Founding Partner of the Achieving Competitive Excellence Grant. The ACE Grant is designed to give top-flight junior golfers the ability to play a national junior golf schedule despite their financial resources. With Polo Golf’s support, the AJGA and other supporters hope to help all deserving junior golfers who have the skill but not the financial backing to participate in competitive junior golf.

As a Premier Partner, Polo Golf will also continue to outfit the AJGA staff and Canon Cup teams with products that represent the highest quality and design in the golf industry.

“Polo Golf began supporting the AJGA in 1995 by sponsoring three tournaments,” said AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin. “Twelve years later, they have become one of the leading supporters of junior golf nationwide through the AJGA’s Premier Partnership.”

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation is a leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories and fragrances. For more than 39 years, Polo’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company’s brand names, which include “Polo by Ralph Lauren,” “Ralph Lauren Purple Label,” “Ralph Lauren,” “Black Label,” “Blue Label,” “Lauren by Ralph Lauren,” “Polo Jeans Co.,” “RRL,” “RLX,” “Rugby,” “RL Childrenswear,” “Chaps,” and “Club Monaco” among others, constitute one of the world’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands. For more information, go to http://investor.polo.com.