Hero MotoCorp is the title sponsor for the Golf World Challenge 2014

Hero MotoCorp Ltd- the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, will be the Title Sponsor of the prestigious World Challenge 2014. The 16th-annual Hero World Challenge will be held between December 3-7, 2014 at the renowned Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla. US, and will have 17 of the PGA TOUR’s best players compete for the $3.5 million top prize. The 72-hole, stroke play event is co-sponsored by the PGA TOUR and benefits the Tavistock Foundation and the college-access programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Announcing this at Orlando on Monday, Mr. Pawan Munjal, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Hero MotoCorp Ltd, said, “This title sponsorship of the Hero World Challenge is reflective of Brand Hero’s rapidly expanding global footprint. Having been associated with the game in India for over two decades, and being the title sponsor of the Hero Indian Open for both men and women for several years, it is only befitting that we should be stepping on to the global arena of golf with the Hero World Challenge. It is also our love for the game, and especially for Tiger Woods, that we have come on board for the Hero World Challenge This is just the beginning. Going forward, we will certainly look at further cementing this relationship.”

Mr. Tiger Woods, said, “This tournament has been an integral part of my foundation since 1999 and has raised $25 million for my foundation and local charities. We are thrilled to partner with Tavistock Group to make the tournament an even stronger platform for the game of golf and I am very excited to welcome Hero MotoCorp as title sponsor. They are a global brand and a great fit for the Hero World Challenge.” Mr. Andrew Odenback, Vice President - Sports Ventures, Tavistock Group, said, “The Hero World Challenge features the strongest invitational field in golf. We are honored to build on its strong history and welcome the players, sponsors and fans at Isleworth Golf & Country Club.”

Synonymous with some of the marquee sports partnerships in India as well as globally, Hero MotoCorp has for long had a steadfast commitment towards promoting various disciplines of sports including golf, cricket and hockey. Most recently, the company has also become the title sponsor of the India Super League – the first-of-its-kind franchise-based football league in the country. Hero is also the Title Sponsor of the Hero Hockey India League. In 2013, the World Challenge relocated from Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., to Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla., in partnership with the Tavistock Group, which previously hosted the successful Tavistock Cup.

The Hero World Challenge will continue to raise funds and awareness for the college-access programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation and will also benefit the Tavistock Foundation. The Tiger Woods Foundation provides educational opportunities for underserved youth nationwide, with the mission to break the cycle of poverty. Seven Tiger Woods Learning Centers nationwide offer STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) courses such as robotics and graphic design, while the Earl Woods Scholarship Program is an unyielding support system of mentors, funds and workshops to help send students to universities including Georgetown, USC, UC-Berkeley, UCLA and Harvard.

The Tavistock Foundation is dedicated to supporting communities in which the Tavistock Group has significant business interests, with a focus on funding education and medical research programs. In the last decade, the Tavistock Cup provided direct charitable contributions to Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association, First Tee and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  The Foundation was also instrumental in the development of the Lake Nona Institute, and has contributed to Lake Nona Medical City partners, including Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the University of Central Florida.

In 2013, Zach Johnson forced a playoff with five-time Hero World Challenge champion Tiger Woods after he holed out a 58-yard shot from the drop zone on No. 18 at Sherwood Country Club. He then secured the victory when Woods lipped out a five-foot par putt on the playoff hole. The two dueled in 2011, when Johnson fell to Woods by one stroke. This year’s winner will join a prestigious list of past champions including Davis Love III (2000), Padraig Harrington (2002), Luke Donald (2005), Vijay Singh (2008), Jim Furyk (2009) and Graeme McDowell (2010, 2012).