The International Federation of PGA Tours Wednesday announced International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS) as the new title sponsor for the World Cup of Golf to be played at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club here Nov 21-24.
"ISPS is delighted to become title sponsor of this exciting major global event. ISPS has a long history of supporting golf globally with a specific commitment to raising the profile of blind and disabled golf. Our ultimate mission is for golf to become a Paralympic sport. There is a great synergy with the World Cup of Golf embracing the same format and eligibility when golf returns to the Olympic programme in Rio 2016," said ISPS chairman Haruhisa Handa.
Handa established the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) in 1998 and recently initiated the ISPS HANDA PGA Academy Programme in the United Kingdom, which delivered more than 1,000 lessons from PGA professionals to blind and disabled golfers in 2012.
The World Cup was founded by the International Golf Association (IGA) in association with industrialist John Jay Hopkins for the purpose of promoting international goodwill through golf. It began in 1953 as the Canada Cup and was renamed World Cup in 1967.
The 2013 World Cup will be the 57th edition which has seen greats lift the prestigious trophy in the past.
"The IGA is extremely pleased that ISPS HANDA will title sponsor the 2013 World Cup of Golf," IGA chairman Jon Linen said.