The Presidents Cup
Sporte Leisure was the exclusive licensed merchandise partner for both Australian stagings of The Presidents Cup — at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 and again in 2011. On both occasions, Sporte Leisure produced and retailed the official merchandise program for one of golf's most anticipated international team events, delivering apparel, headwear, accessories and lifestyle product to the Royal Melbourne retail operation and beyond.
About the Tournament
The Presidents Cup is contested biennially between the United States and an International Team drawn from the world's best players outside Europe. The format — foursomes, four-ball and singles matches across four days — combines the intensity of match play with the spectacle of national representation, and the event has grown from its 1994 founding into one of the most watched events in world golf.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club has been the venue for both Australian editions. The Composite Course, assembled from holes across the West and East layouts, is widely regarded as one of the finest tournament venues in the Southern Hemisphere. Its fast, undulating Sandbelt greens demand precision and reward course management over power, giving the International Team a genuine home-ground advantage that played out in 1998, when the Internationals won 20½–11½ under captain Peter Thomson. The 2011 edition, captained by Greg Norman, was closer — the US Team prevailed 19–15, with Tiger Woods clinching the Cup in Sunday singles.
Licensed Merchandise
As exclusive merchandise partner for the 1998 and 2011 Australian editions, Sporte Leisure designed, produced and retailed the complete Presidents Cup merchandise range across both events. The program spanned licensed polo shirts, outerwear, headwear, accessories and gifts, sold through the Royal Melbourne on-site retail operation and distributed nationally through Sporte Leisure's supply network. The Presidents Cup merchandise programs remain two of the largest single-event retail operations in Sporte Leisure's history.
Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne
1998 — International Team def. United States 20½–11½ — Captain: Peter Thomson (International), Hale Irwin (USA)
2011 — United States def. International Team 19–15 — Captain: Greg Norman (International), Fred Couples (USA)
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