Charles Howell and Luke Donald join Jack Nicklaus on Team RBS

The Golden Bear and the young stars bolster RBS' golf marketing campaign

Charles Howell and Luke Donald join Jack Nicklaus as the first members of Team RBS

VIDEO FILES (require either Quicktime or RealVideo)
Howard Moody (RBS) on Jack Nicklaus: Quicktime | RealVideo
Charles Howell at the 86' Masters: Quicktime | RealVideo
Jack's business influence on the younger players: Quicktime | RealVideo

JUPITER, FLORIDA, United States of America, March 10th, 2003 - The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) today launched "Team RBS," featuring Jack Nicklaus, Charles Howell III and Luke Donald.

Jack Nicklaus, widely considered the greatest golfer in the history of the sport, will partner with RBS as the world's fifth-largest bank raises its profile in the United States and builds a U.S. golf program to complement its major commitment in Europe. RBS has been involved with golf for more than a century through its association with The Open Championship in Britain. The RBS Group recently strengthened its links with UK and European golf by becoming the official bank of the PGA European Tour and of the 2002 Ryder Cup.

One of Jack's first acts for the RBS Group was to welcome Charles and Luke as the first two members of Team RBS.

"I have known both Charles and Luke for several years," Nicklaus said. "They are both winners of the Jack Nicklaus Award for being the top collegiate men's golfer, and I have had the opportunity to watch them grow and perform at the professional level. There are so many talented young golfers in the game today that it is difficult to make it to the top of our sport. Luke and Charles have the talent to do just that. I think you are going to hear a great deal about these two young men in the coming years, not only on the PGA Tour but in the major championships."

Howard Moody, RBS Director of Group Communications, added, "With Jack, we made the selections from a golf perspective, and we endorsed them because both players provide a fascinating insight into how to succeed.

"They have different approaches. Charles has an incredible single-minded intensity. Luke deliberately seeks time away from golf to relax. They have immense talent and the same goal. Their talent and commitment will be used to promote our corporate philosophy of 'Make it Happen.'"

Both Luke and Charles remain committed to their current coaches and support teams but welcome the opportunity to seek advice from Jack when desired. As Howell explained, "I like to think I know Augusta well, but no one knows how to play and win at Augusta like Jack Nicklaus. Knowing he is supporting me is a huge inspiration."

Luke said, "I am delighted to have been picked to be part of 'Team RBS.' Being based on the US PGA tour, its great for me to have a British link, especially when it is with such a prestigious company as the Royal Bank of Scotland".

All three players will appear in RBS print and TV advertising campaigns. The campaigns will develop the current RBS advertising theme of "Less Talk."

"There are many great talkers in our business, but we pride ourselves on our actions rather than our talk," Moody said. "Jack, Luke and Charles all put their actions first."

RBS made its debut as the first non-golf brand to appear on Jack Nicklaus' golf bag earlier this year.

"RBS is not only one of the largest banks in the world, but they are a long-term, dedicated sponsor of golf and they are committed to supporting my business and my passion," Nicklaus said. "Having them on my golf bag is not a contractual requirement but simply feels right."

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, founded in 1727, is one of the world's leading financial services groups. By market capitalization it is the second largest bank in the UK and in Europe, and ranks fifth in the world. It has more than 20 million customers and total assets at 31 December 2002 of #412 billion ($618 billion). The Group employs over 111,000 staff worldwide.

In the US, RBS employs over 14,200 staff. It owns Citizens Financial Group, which is the second largest bank in New England. Citizens is engaged in retail and corporate banking through its branch network in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. Under the RBS brand, the bank provides a range of services to mid-sized and large corporate and institutional clients from offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston and San Francisco. And through RBS Greenwich Capital, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, the bank is a major primary dealer in US government securities, as well as a distinguished market leader in the sales and trading of asset-backed securities.

Nicklaus Companies

For over 30 years, the mission of the Nicklaus Companies has been to enhance the golf experience, and to bring to the national and international consumer golf-related businesses and services that mirror the high standards established in the career and life of Jack Nicklaus. These services include golf-course design, the development of golf and real estate communities, and the marketing and licensing of golf products and services. Nicklaus Design, recognized as the world leader in golf course design, has been involved with over 260 courses open for play in 27 countries and 35 states. Of those, Jack Nicklaus has designed, co-designed or re-designed 220 courses around the globe, 35 of which have been ranked in various national or international Top-100 lists.