Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways has been unveiled as the title sponsor for the first LPGA major championship of the season.
ANA has inked a five-year deal to sponsor the tournament at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif, on April 2-5.
It takes over from former sponsor Kraft and will be renamed from the Kraft Nabisco, to the ANA Inspiration.
The prize purse for the event is also being beefed up from $2 million to $2.5 million for 2015 and is slated to be $3 million by 2020.
The 2015 tour has 33 events, one more than last year, and total prize money on offer is $61.6 million compared to $57.55 million this season.
Tournament director Gabe Codding says with more than half of the top-ranked players on the LPGA tour from Asia, it is a good business move for ANA that will hopefully also benefit tourism in the Coachella Valley.
"It’s a very attractive opportunity for a global company and having that footprint in Asia will absolutely boost hospitality," Codding said.
