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Peter Jacobsen Productions, which has an office in Naples, has brokered a historic sponsorship deal between the United States Golf Association and Lexus.

Lexus will become the official automotive partner of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur in a contract that goes through 2010.

Until recently, the USGA had stayed out of having any sponsorship deals with its golf tournaments.

Lexus and PJP already have a relationship in Southwest Florida.

Jacobsen's college event at Hammock Bay is called the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate Invitational.

"It's a very rare to find a cross- promotional partner that shares so many brand attributes, but in this instance we have found it," said Ed Kiernan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Peter Jacobsen Productions.

"The key factors to fostering this relationship stem from Lexus' ongoing commitment to the game and their unwavering support of golf at all levels. The four USGA championships provide Lexus with a one-of-a-kind marketing platform to reach multiple stakeholders through tailored events, select ticket and hospitality opportunities, dealer engagement, co-branded promotions and critically important premium experiences."

The announcement was made leading into the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, with LPGA Tour star Annika Sorenstam, who has an endorsement deal with Lexus, and USGA executive director David Fay on hand.

Jacobsen was playing in the Champions Tour's Turtle Bay Championship in Hawaii.

"Peter has had a long-standing partnership with the Toyota/ Lexus family," Kiernan said.

"I'm proud to represent the Lexus brand and the high quality it represents," said Sorenstam, who became the first female golfer to play in the Merrill Lynch Shootout at Tiburón Golf Club in North Naples last November, in a press release. "Certainly I welcome a partnership like this, where the shared expertise of two leading companies can help us all do more to benefit the game."

Kiernan said golfers currently under contract to Toyota would come under Lexus.

"It's a sizable deal. It's a big deal," Kiernan said. "They bought a sizable NBC package as well. ...

It's really going to mirror what they've done with the USTA (United States Tennis Association) and the U.S. Tennis Open."

Last month, American Express became the USGA's first corporate partner in its 112-year history.

One of the byproducts of that deal was that American Express card members could purchase sold-out Trophy Club tickets to the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

"We are pleased to play a part in this historic union between golf's governing body and the top-selling luxury nameplate in the U.S.," Kiernan said.

PJP also manages two Champions Tour events — the JELD- WEN Tradition, a major championship, and the Constellation Energy Classic — as well as the CVS Charity Classic and the Save Mart Shootout and the Ketel One Ultimate Challenge.