OREANDA-NEWS. MasterCard has announced Japanese pro golfer, Hiroyuki Fujita, as its latest golf ambassador.  He is both the first Japanese and the first Asian golf ambassador for the brand.

Hiroyuki Fujita also serves as the first Ambassador for Priceless Japan, which launches today, and will provide MasterCard cardholders privileged access to unique experiences. He will proudly wear the MasterCard logo during the upcoming season, beginning at the 144th Open Championship at St. Andrews, also sponsored by MasterCard, which starts on July 12th.  Local fans will have opportunities to meet him in person in Japan in the coming months.

“So many of our cardholders are passionate about Golf and Hiroyuki Fujita embodies passion in his play. His commitment to excellence and journey from amateur to professional at such a young age is commendable,” said Rob Luton, President, MasterCard Japan. “Partnerships like this allow us to provide golf experiences and priceless access to our cardholders that bring them closer to the game. By aligning MasterCard with the things that matter most to our local cardholders, we’re able to deliver on our brand promise and further cardholder loyalty.”

Hiroyuki Fujita said, “I feel honored to be a part of the launch of Priceless Japan, a campaign that re-discovers the many wonders of Japan in new and exciting ways. As a MasterCard Golf Ambassador, I look forward to meeting with MasterCard cardholders in the near future and sharing in priceless experiences with them.”

 

Fujita first received national attention while still in high school, when he placed 4th in the 1987 Japan Junior Golf Tournament. Since going professional in 1992, he has won 18 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour. In 2010, Fujita was named Most Valuable Player by the Japan Golf Tour Organization, and subsequently played his first Masters Tournament in 2011 and then again in 2013. After winning four major JGTO tournaments in 2012, he now holds the distinction of being the oldest player to win the Japanese money title for the first time, which he did at the age of 43.

The now 46-year-old veteran joins eight other world-class golf stars in the MasterCard Golf Ambassador roster: Tom Watson, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Boo Weekley, Brandt Snedeker, Harris English, Matt Adams and Curtis Strange.

MasterCard’s sponsorship of golf also includes the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour and The Open Championships, each offering MasterCard cardholders – be it in attendance at these tournaments or online – experiences such as insights from golf legends, exclusive seats, and playing opportunities at the most coveted of world-class golf courses.