NEW YORK: KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm, today announced it has signed a global sponsorship agreement with Maverick McNealy, a 2017 Stanford University graduate and the top-ranked amateur golfer in the United States. KPMG will support McNealy on his highly-anticipated quest to join and succeed on the PGA Tour.
As part of the agreement with KPMG, McNealy will wear the KPMG logo on the front of his hat during all of his golf-related appearances, beginning this week at the Safeway Open in Napa Valley, Calif., where he will be making his first PGA Tour appearance as a professional."Maverick McNealy is a next-generation leader who is making a positive impact both on and off the golf course, and we're thrilled he is joining our KPMG family," said KPMG U.S. Chairman and CEO Lynne Doughtie. "We believe his character and hard work, which drove his impressive academic and golf achievements during his collegiate years, will translate to a successful professional career."
"I couldn't be more excited to join Team KPMG as I embark on my professional career," said McNealy. "KPMG's long-standing commitment to golf and building the next generation of leaders inspires me. As someone with a passion for both golf and business, I look forward to the positive impact we can make together."
This relationship is part of KPMG's sports sponsorship platform, which began when the firm reached a global sponsorship agreement with Phil Mickelson in 2008. KPMG later entered into a sponsorship agreement with LPGA golfer Stacy Lewis in 2012, and has since expanded its global brand ambassadors to include Paul Dunne (Ireland), Klara Spilkova (Czech Republic), Mariah Stackhouse (USA), and Olafia Kristinsdottir (Iceland). KPMG is also the title sponsor of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, a major on the LPGA Tour.
Maverick McNealy's Accomplishments
McNealy started his freshman year with the world amateur ranking of #3767 and worked his way to become the top-ranked amateur in the world. McNealy then made history in September 2016 when he won the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational in his final college season at Stanford University. It was his 11th career win for Stanford, tying him with Tiger Woods and Patrick Rodgers for most college wins by a Stanford golfer. McNealy won the Haskins Award in 2015, the Mark H. McCormack Gold Medal in 2016 as leading player on the 2016 World Amateur Golf Ranking, and the Ben Hogan Award in 2017 for the top college golf player in the United States. He also received the 2017 Byron Nelson Award, presented to a graduating senior that excels in academics and golf, while exhibiting great character and community service. The Portola Valley, California native represented the United States in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship, played on the 2015 U.S. Walker and Palmer Cup teams, and helped lead Team USA to victory last month in the 2017 Walker Cup with a 4-0 record. McNealy graduated Stanford with a degree in Management Science and Engineering.
