Women’s professional golf will be front in center with three different events staged in New Jersey — all in close proximity to New York City — during the May-June time frame in 2023..
The LPGA and Mizuho Americas, the NYC-headquartered arm of one of the largest financial institutions in the world, will stage the inaugural Mizuho Americas Open May 29 – June 4, 2023, at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ.
The Mizuho Americas Open will mark the first time Liberty National welcomes the LPGA Tour, after hosting several world-class events, including the Presidents Cup and multiple PGA TOUR playoff stops. The tournament will see the best golfers in the world compete for a $2.75 million purse, one of the largest non-Major Championship purses on the LPGA Tour calendar for the 2023 season, against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty.
In addition, the Mizuho Americas Open will concurrently host an AJGA Invitational, which will provide the opportunity for 24 female junior golfers on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Tour to compete alongside the 120-player LPGA Tour field for their own individual title. This unique format marks the first time that the AJGA and the LPGA have partnered to showcase the stars of today competing inside-the-ropes with the future of the game, creating an unprecedented week of education and access to inspire the next generation of LPGA Tour players.
The multi-year agreement between the LPGA, Mizuho Americas, and Liberty National marks the global bank’s first entry into sports sponsorship in the U.S. As part of the launch, LPGA Tour icon Michelle Wie West, who recently took a step back from professional competition, will serve as Tournament Host and Mizuho Brand Ambassador.
Background
President and Chief Executive Officer, Mizuho Securities USA LLC, and Head of Corporate and Investment Bank, Mizuho Americas. Rizzieri joined the firm in 2010 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Mizuho Securities USA in 2016.
Named Head of Mizuho Americas Corporate and Investment Bank in 2018, and is responsible for directing and executing both Banking and Markets business strategies. He is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Prior to joining Mizuho, Jerry spent twenty-three years at Lehman Brothers in various senior positions in NY and London.
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You wake up in the morning – what’s the driving passion?
Well, if it’s a weekday morning it’s about all things related to growing Mizuho’s business. During the weekend, if it’s summer, hopefully it’s about getting onto the golf course.
Mizuho announced last week it will be the title sponsor for an LPGA event next June at Liberty National in Jersey City, NJ. This marks Mizuho’s first major sports sponsorship. Why the desire to get involved with sports sponsorship — specifically the golf lane.
Two of our three largest divisions are headed by women in an industry where women are underrepresented. We were drawn to the LPGA because of our shared goals of promoting women, celebrating excellence, and advancing the next generation of talent.
We were looking for a “purpose-driven sponsorship” and the LPGA was a natural partner. In addition, many of our executives, employees, and clients are passionate about golf.
Was Liberty National the primary choice for holding the event and what is the specific length of involvement Mizuho plans in sponsoring the event.
Liberty National was our first, second, and third choice. To hold the first LPGA event at a spectacular course overlooking the NYC skyline, is symbolic and significant. Plus, many of our clients are located in the NY Metro area, so Liberty National is the perfect venue.
The contract for the Mizuho Americas Open is for at least three years, but all parties involved are committed to holding the event for many years beyond that.
What sparked Mizuho’s primary interest in doing such an event?
If we were going to get into sports sponsorship, we wanted it to do something unique. Working with Michelle Wie West (LPGA Tour icon), Mollie Marcoux Samaan (Commissioner, LPGA Tour), Jason Etzen (Chief Business Officer, AJGA), Dan Fireman (Co-Founder and President, Liberty National Golf Club), and Kevin (Hopkins, Vice President, Excel Sports Management) we knew we had a chance to deliver something really special. Pairing elite juniors with pros will be an exciting and groundbreaking weekend of golf.
Do you personally play golf and if so, are you a member of any club?
Yes, I enjoy the game very much and play when I can, which is usually confined to the summer. I am a member of Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine.
What fundamental aspect in being aligned with the LPGA is of importance to Mizuho?
We found some interesting parallels with how women are underrepresented in our industry, and how women athletes are under appreciated by sports fans and sponsors. This led us to our joint discussions with the LPGA, along with AJGA, Liberty National and Excel Sports Management.
It also drove our decision to offer a $2.75 million purse, one of the largest non-Major Championship purses on the LPGA Tour calendar for the 2023 season.
Given the timing of the event — there will be two other LPGA events taking place in New Jersey within the same general time frame with the Founders at Upper Montclair CC in Clifton and the KPMG event staged at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield — can the immediate area support having three events bunched up against one another given the range of sports and entertainment options available in the greater New York / New Jersey metro area?
We think the events are complementary and build momentum. As title sponsors, we are all supportive of one another and have a shared goal for the LPGA and its professional golfers to be successful. I am confident that the Mizuho Americas Open will be a great addition to the LPGA events in the New York Metro Area.
The format for the event has junior players actively engaged with the competition. How did that idea germinate?
When brainstorming with our partners about how we can make our tournament distinctive, we kept circling back around the idea of the next generation of talent.
A big part of our success at Mizuho relies on nurturing promising talent through mentoring and apprenticeship. The LPGA feels the same way, so the idea really resonated with all of us.
What specific dimensions does Michelle Wie bring as the lead face for the event?
Michelle joined us for a client outing a few months back and we were so impressed. Yes, she is not only one of the premier names in golf, but she also represents excellence both on and off the golf course.
Her incredible success at an early age, and then as a professional, also tied well into the nature of our event, which showcases the best in the world alongside the best of future.
She had just announced that she was stepping away from competitive golf, but wanted to continue to make an impact on the game – this fit in perfectly with our timing and we are honored to partner with her as a brand ambassador and the host of our event here at Liberty National.
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