Phil Mickelson and KPMG Accounting Firm

Posted by James Hutchinson Apr 12, 2009

Golfers today display as many advertisements as race cars. Tiger Woods wears a Nike Swoosh, and other players were sporting good related images.

Phil Mickelson prominently displayed KPMG on his hat at the Masters. KPMG LLC is a major accounting firm, one of the so-called Big 4 firms.

They are:

• KPMG
• Deloitte & Touche
• Price Waterhouse Cooper
• Ernst & Young

There are thousands of other firms, but these are generally considered to the largest and most prominent. There was originally a Big 8, but with consolidation and the implosion of Arthur Andersen in the Enron scandal, the number has been reduced to four.

One thing I don’t understand is the value for KPMG to advertise on Phil’s hat. How many people watching have the ability to engage KPMG? Everyone can buy a pair of shoes or a golf, a Srixon golf ball (advertised on Jim Furyk’s hat.) But an accounting firm? It’s their money, but it seems a waste.