Brittany Lang to Represent Manulife on LPGA Tour

Manulife extends sponsorships of Stacy Lewis and Jennifer Kirby

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TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Manulife has signed golfer, Brittany Lang, to represent its brand through the 2016 LPGA Tour season. Lang won the inaugural Manulife LPGA Classic in 2012, in a four-way, three-hole sudden death playoff. She has had a total of 47 top 10 finishes in her career since joining the LPGA Tour in 2006.

Manulife is also pleased to extend its partnerships with Stacy Lewis, currently ranked third in the world, and Canadian, Jennifer Kirby, who will continue to represent Manulife globally through 2016 as well.

"We're proud to have a team of world-class female athletes represent our brand as they travel the globe and compete in many of the countries where we do business," said Marianne Harrison, President and CEO, Manulife Canada. "We're looking forward to seeing them in Cambridge next summer and wish them the best of luck on the LPGA Tour for the rest of this season."

Lang, Lewis and Kirby will wear the Manulife brand while they compete. As brand ambassadors, each player will attend Manulife-hosted golf clinics and special events throughout the year. Manulife will also be designated the official insurance provider for all three players.

Partnerships with the LPGA Tour and its athletes allow Manulife - which has operations in Canada, the United States and Asia - to increase its brand awareness with customers and business partners globally.

"After winning the Manulife LPGA Classic in 2012, and witnessing first-hand what a world-class organization Manulife is, I am excited for the opportunity to partner with them," said Lang. "As a leading global financial services company, I am impressed with Manulife's leadership and reputation, as well as their commitment to women's golf. Plus I always receive a warm welcome from fans in Waterloo Region."

This announcement builds on Manulife's ongoing involvement in golf as the title sponsor of the Manulife LPGA Classic. The fifth annual Manulife LPGA Classic will be contested August 31-September 4, at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario. In 2015, the tournament attracted more than 63,000 spectators per tournament, making it one of the most well attended events on the LPGA Tour. In the tournament's first four years, over $1.2 million has been raised for St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation in Waterloo Region, Ontario.

About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group providing forward-thinking solutions to help people with their big financial decisions.  We operate as John Hancock in the United States, and Manulife elsewhere.  We provide financial advice, insurance and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions.  At the end of 2014, we had 28,000 employees, 58,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving 20 million customers.  At the end of September 2015, we had $888 billion (US$663 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made more than $23 billion in benefits, interest and other payments to our customers.  Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years.  With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.  Follow Manulife on Twitter @ManulifeNews or visit www.manulife.com or www.johnhancock.com.

About the Manulife LPGA Classic
The Manulife LPGA Classic (@ManulifeClassic) is one of only two Canadian stops on the LPGA Tour and features a standard eligibility field of 150 players, 72 holes of stroke play and a purse of US$1.5 million. The 2016 event will take place August 31 to September 4, at Whistle Bear Golf Club near Cambridge, Ontario in Waterloo Region, home of Manulife's Canadian Division headquarters. www.manulifeclassic.ca

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

Image with caption: "Manulife has signed golfer, Brittany Lang, to represent its brand through the 2016 LPGA Tour season. The company has also extended its sponsorship of LPGA golfer Stacy Lewis, ranked third in the world. (CNW Group/Manulife Financial Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151119_C9337_PHOTO_EN_44469.jpg

Media inquiries:
Brooke Tucker-Reid
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416-528-9601
@ManulifeNews