USGA, RBS Happy To Be In Each Other's Portfolios

Doug Ferguson reminds us that the USGA survived for 113 years without a corporate partner and now they have No. 4 since November, 2006.

Financial terms of the agreement were not released, although two officials aware of the negotiations said it was about $3 million a year. RBS has long been involved with the Royal & Ancient at the British Open, and recently signed on with the PGA of America. It also has a licensing agreement to use the Masters brand in advertising for BBC coverage.

"I think we're happy with the portfolio we now have in golf," said Allan Watt of RBS.

And from Adam Schupak of Golfweek: 

Pete Bevacqua, the USGA’s chief business officer, said the association’s goal was to find four strategic partners.

“We’re very happy with the portfolio we now have,” Bevacqua said. “We have no intentions of moving beyond four at this time.”

Jack Nicklaus was part of the painful conference call and sounded completely oblivious to pretty much every question asked (Annika's retirement, the Arnold Palmer Center about to open at Far Hills, etc...).

He later appeared on CNBC with some rude twerp who kept interrupting him, including when he tried to explain why the ball going longer impacts pace of play. He did say this before he was interrupted:

One of the problems we have today with the golf ball going so far is that the game of golf is taking longer and longer to play.