April 30, 2003
MasterCard Canada Renews Three-Year Sponsorship of National Championships

Acton, ON -- The Canadian PGA and MasterCard Canada, Volunteer Patron of the Canadian PGA and Presenting Sponsor of the Samsung Canadian PGA Championship, salute the thousands of volunteers who are at the heart of countless golf events across the nation.

"Volunteers play a crucial role in the operations of each of our five national championships and National Volunteer Week is the perfect opportunity for the Canadian PGA to recognize their important contribution as we kick off the golf season," stated Danielle O'Rourke, Executive Director of the Canadian PGA. "We are delighted to be entering a three-year national partnership with MasterCard Canada, a truly committed corporate citizen.

"Partnering with Canadian PGA golf professionals and the volunteers who support them in more than 1,700 golf facilities is a perfect fit for MasterCard," she added.

Canadian PGA golf professionals appreciate that every successful golf event, whether a national professional championship or a local junior event, hinges on a knowledgeable volunteer base that loves golf. Volunteers contribute time, energy and passion to golf events from coast to coast in the scoring tent, at player registration, roping and staking the course, raising funds for charity, in training and education, serving on boards and committees and in so many other ways. This year, one thousand volunteers will contribute to the success of the Canadian PGA's five national championships and hundreds more will support the schedule of regional tournaments run by the nine Canadian PGA zones. MasterCard Canada and the Canadian PGA truly appreciate each volunteer's investment in our mutual success.

About the Canadian PGA
Established in 1911, the Canadian Professional Golfers' Association is a non-profit Association comprised of approximately 3,000 golf professionals across the country with a mandate to promote and advance the game of golf serving the needs of both its membership and golfing public through professional development programs, junior golf involvement and high-caliber competitive events. The national office is located in Acton, Ontario with nine Zone Offices across the country.

MasterCard Canada is the Volunteer Patron for all five nationals Canadian PGA championships. The Canadian PGA Seniors Championship presented by Simmlands Insurance is the first of the Canadian PGA's five national championships for 2003. The schedule also includes the Samsung Canadian PGA Championship presented by MasterCard from July 3 - 6 in Richmond Hill, Ontario, the Titleist & FootJoy Canadian PGA Club Professional Championship presented by Club Car from August 13 - 15 in Montreal, the Canadian PGA Women's Championship presented by Aquafina from September 9 - 10 in Thornhill, Ontario and the Titleist/FootJoy/Cobra Canadian PGA Assistants' Championship from September 17 - 19 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. For information on the 2003 Championship schedule, visit www.cpga.com.

About MasterCard International
MasterCard International has a comprehensive portfolio of well-known, widely accepted payment brands including MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro. With approximately 25,000 MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro members worldwide, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses, both large and small, in 210 countries and territories. MasterCard is a leader in quality and innovation, offering a wide range of payment solutions in the virtual and traditional worlds. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless advertising campaign is now seen in 96 countries and in 45 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For the year ended December 31, 2002, gross dollar volume exceeded US$1.14 trillion. MasterCard can be reached through its website at www.mastercardinternational.com.

For more information, contact:
Rima Katorji National Events and Communications Coordinator
Canadian PGA (519) 853-5450 ext. 230 or rima@canadianpga.org