Lagardère Unlimted announced on Monday that it has added three golfers to its already burgeoning roster, including former world No. 1 Luke Donald. He moves to Lagardère after his deal with IMG Worldwide expired at the end of the last year.
Donald had a stellar 2011 season, where he rose to No. 1 in the rankings and was the leading prize money winner on both the European and PGA tours for that year. He is currently ranked 19th in the world. According to Golf Digest, Donald earned approximately $9.9 million in 2013, with $7 million coming from endorsements. He currently has deals with Polo Ralph Lauren, Mizuno, Footjoy, Royal Bank of Canada and Zurich Insurance.
“As a global player based in the States, Lagardère Unlimited is a perfect fit for me.” Donald said in a statement. “Lagardère has golf’s top management team, tour players, and solid marketing relationships with the world’s premier brands. Lagardère has a family feel, while also having a global reach.”
Luke was recruited by Steve Loy, who first approached the golfer 10 years ago, but at the time didn’t have the resources to represent him on a worldwide scale. This led Donald to sign with IMG. He will now be represented by Loy and Ben Harrison.
In addition to the signing of Donald, Lagardère announced the capture of Ricky Barnes and Jamie Lovemark. 32 year-old Barnes moves from the Blake Sports Group, where he was represented by Dennis Blake. He lists Oakley and Breitling among a wide array of sponsors. He too will be managed by Loy, and Lagardère golf vice president Tim McNulty.
Rounding out the signings is Jamie Lovemark, who also moves from IMG. The 25 year-old finished 13th on the Web.com Tour last season, earning him a spot on the 2014 PGA Tour. He is currently sponsored by Nike. Ben Harrison will oversee his account.
This now brings the total number of golfers represented by Lagardère to 45, which includes Phil Mickelson, who placed 2nd in Golf Digest’s Top 50 Money List. The company also acquired Jeff Sanders Promotions, which specializes in golf events. With this acquisition, Lagardère will be looking to create and develop events using its talent.
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