Sam Bennett inks multi-year partnership with PING after signing NIL deal as amateur

Despite finishing third to last in his professional debut at The Memorial Tournament this past week, Sam Bennett is still riding the highs of the past few months.

After taking the world by storm, chasing down the likes of Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler at Augusta National, Bennett concluded his collegiate career with Texas A&M and is now reaping his college benefits as a professional.

Last week, golf equipment provider PING announced a multi-year commitment with the 23-year-old, the same brand that signed Bennett to an NIL deal.

“We’re excited to have Sam transition to our professional tour staff,” PING CEO and President John Solheim said in a statement. “His performance in winning last year’s U.S. Amateur received a lot of attention but it was his remarkable play at the Masters that skyrocketed his popularity and made him one of the biggest stories of that week. He’s an amazing talent who plays with a lot of confidence and passion, which should serve him well as he begins his professional career. We’re looking forward to having Sam represent the PING brand.”

Bennett, a native of Madisonville, Texas and graduate from Texas A&M, has been playing PING almost his entire career.

“I’ve been playing PING equipment since my junior golf days and my relationship with their team during that time has been a big reason for my success,” Bennett said “Besides making great equipment, they provide amazing service, making sure to properly fit me and custom-build the best clubs for my game.

He continued: “I’m very confident in my equipment, which allows me to go out and focus on winning tournaments. I’m excited to begin my journey as a professional knowing Ping will be with me every step of the way.”

And his confidence in his equipment has shown. One of the top five amateur golfers in the world prior to his debut, Bennett won the 2022 SEC Golfer of the Year, was a PING All-American and took home the 2022 United States Amateur Championship, a tournament won by various current professionals such as Viktor Hovland, Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Fitzpatrick and legends of the game like Tiger Woods (3x), Jack Nicklaus (2x) and Arnold Palmer.

With six career amateur victories, including that U.S Amateur, and a tie for 16th at the Masters this past April, Bennett will tee it up next week at the 123rd United States Open, being played at Los Angeles Country Club in California, his second event as a professional coming on the grandest stage in golf.