USGA Partners with Chevron for US Open

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has bolstered it’s roster of sponsors for the upcoming US Open by signing a three-year deal with energy company Chevron Corporation.

Chevron will pay $4 million annually to become an official USGA partner which includes print, broadcast and digital media purchases.

The agreement will use marquee events to promote education by showcasing the science and technology principles behind the game, Glenn Weckerlin, Chevron’s director of marketing, said. There will be learning stations to teach about the science of golf — such as aerodynamics, velocity and lift of golf balls, and measuring the slope and acceleration of putting greens.

Sarah Hirshland, the USGA’s director of business affairs, told Bloomberg: “When you see the kids interact with these things, it just really comes to life for them. Our goal is for that to be an incentive for them to care about and better understand the game.”

California-based Chevron and the USGA, which governs the game of golf along with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, will create content aimed at advancing childhood science, technology, education and math programs known as STEM.

“We employ a number of engineers and scientists,” Hirshland said. “This is an inherent part of what we need in the future. The monetary component is not the driving force behind this.”

Chevron joins American Express Co. (AXP), International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Lexus International Ltd. and Rolex Watch Co. as official USGA sponsors.