BRANDON STONE TURNS PRO, SIGNS WITH IMG
LONDON —South African golf sensation
Brandon Stone announced today that he has both turned professional and
appointed IMG, the global sports, fashion and media company, for exclusive
worldwide management and marketing representation.
Stone’s
amateur career has made him the talk of the golfing world and, after a year at
the University of Texas where he finished the season ranked second on the
collegiate rankings according to GolfWeek, he will play in his first
professional event at the BMW International Open on a sponsor’s
exemption. Ahead of his professional debut, Stone will also be signing deals
with Ping and Titleist/Footjoy.
Stone
headed to the United States on a golf scholarship last year as the top ranked
amateur in South Africa and has had a freshman year to remember, winning the
2013 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, the Bayou
City Collegiate Championship and the Big 12 Championship.
Last week, he was
announced as the 2013 NCAA Freshman of the Year and a Ping First Team
All-American.
Named
Golf Digest Amateur of the Year in 2011, Stone has represented South Africa at
junior and senior levels. He served as a member of South Africa’s 2012 Eisenhower
Trophy and has amassed a staggering 18 titles over the past four years.
Explaining
his decision to sign with IMG, the industry leader which also manages his
fellow countrymen Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Branden Grace, Trevor Immelman and
Richard Sterne, Stone said, “I have had an amazing year in Texas and I
would like to thank the University of Texas Golf coaches and my teammates for
their support. I am very excited to turn professional and get started with the
next phase of my golf career.
"I spoke to a lot of management companies but IMG,
with all of their offices around the world and many decades of experience, make
them the perfect fit for me.
"Initially, I will need invitations to play and IMG
has the global influence to ensure I get the opportunities to compete in the
right tournaments to give myself the best possible chance to win cards in
Europe and the US.”
He
continued, “My first start will be at the BMW International Open and I am
very grateful for the opportunity BMW are giving me and hope I reward them with
a great performance.”
Brandon
will be managed by Duncan Reid out of the London office with assistance from
Katie Gordine and Jacques Retief from IMG South Africa.
Reid,
who also manages Ernie Els and Branden Grace, commented, “We are
delighted to welcome Brandon to IMG and believe he has a very bright future
ahead of him. His achievements over the past couple of years have been
remarkable and along with his fantastic golfing ability he is an extremely
charismatic young man who will be very appealing to sponsors.”
Guy
Kinnings, Global Head of IMG Golf, added, “Brandon’s outstanding
amateur record has established him as one of the world’s best young
golfers and he has the looks, personality and charisma to become one of the
most sought after personalities in golf.”
Labels: PRO GOLF
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