Philip Morris Classic tees off no more

In keeping with its global realignment of marketing activities, the Philip Morris International has pulled out its sponsorship of the Philip Morris Golf Classic series, ending 13 years of successful staging of what has long been regarded as the national golf circuit.

Quito Da Roza, corporate affairs director of Philip Morris Phils. Inc., made the announcement yesterday, stressing the move was in compliance with the company's worldwide program of withdrawing its sponsorships from sports activities.

"We have always tried to be responsible corporate citizens and this pullout is but part of the company's worldwide realignment of marketing activities," said Da Roza.

He cited the company's withdrawal of sponsorships from big tennis events in Hong Kong, soccer in China, and only last year, the Marlboro Tour in the Philippines. He further stressed that other countries where they market their products have also gradually phased out sports-related sponsorship.

"The sponsorship pullout also signifies the company's desire to self-regulate. We see value in this since we've been very careful with our responsibility as a marketing entity and we have always put our emphasis on youth smoking prevention," said PMPI brand manager Fe Obaña.

The sponsorship pullout is expected to affect the growth of golf in the country, which has enjoyed tremendous boom and popularity with the year-long staging of the event.

Cassius Casas, who dominated the circuit the last three years, underscored this by emerging one of the fancied players in the Asian PGA Tour, together with Robert Pactolerin. Other players who honed and developed their shotmaking skills in the classic and are now regular campaigners in the Davidoff Tour are Rodrigo Cuello, Danny Zarate, Mars Pucay, Ramon Brobio, Carito Villaroman, Dan Cruz and Rey Pagunsan.

However, Philip Morris' farewell to the series now gives opportunities to other prospective sponsors to reap the rewards of working with highly-competitive professional and amateur golfers whose talents Philip Morris had tried to hone year-in and year-out.