European Tour upgrades with Hilton

Hotel and resort chain Hilton has upgraded its association with golf’s European Tour by becoming an official partner of the body.

Under the new three-year partnership, Hilton will sponsor the BMW PGA, BMW International, Scottish Open and Italian Open events this year. Hilton previously served as a supplier for the Tour.

As part of the new agreement, the ‘Hilton Golfer of the Month’ activation will be revamped to allow fans to vote for a winner. Hilton will also take on naming rights to the Tour’s ‘Golfer of the Year’ award and receive activation at each tournament on a unique ‘Hole in One’ competition, through which guests can win a holiday.

Should a hole in one be scored at this weekend’s BMW PGA Championship, both the player and fans will win flights and accommodation to the Seychelles. Hilton will also work with the Tour on the ‘Life on Tour’ podcast, which launches later this year.

Hilton will receive brand exposure across the Tour’s content and digital platforms as part of the deal.

Aligi Gardenghi, vice-president of marketing for Hilton in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “The European Tour provides us with an outstanding platform to showcase our portfolio of hotels, deliver exceptional experiences to our guests and connect with passionate golf fans across the world we’re looking forward to be collaborating on a number of exciting initiatives this year and beyond.”

Hilton’s golf ambassadors currently include Chris Wood (pictured), Jamie Donaldson, Matteo Manassero and Bernd Ritthamer.