Gary Woodland Signs With Excel Sports Management

Looks like Mark Steinberg of Excel Sports Management (and formerly of IMG) is adding another horse to his stable.

According to a tweet by AP Writer Doug Ferguson, PGA TOUR up-and-comer Gary Woodland has signed on with ESM, where he will join the likes of fellow athletes Derek Jeter, Paul Pierce, Blake Griffin, Jason Kidd, and Tiger Woods.

Earlier in 2011, Steinberg left IMG - the powerhouse sports agency whose presence in professional golf includes the creation of the Official World Golf Rankings - to join ESM while bringing his most prized client (Woods) along for the ride. Previously a professional basketball-only agency, ESM would ultimately branch out into other mainstream sports by securing deals with top names in professional baseball, American football, and now golf.

In July 2011,Darren Rovell hypothesized that in order for Steinberg to be an asset to Excel he would need to bring on additional big-name talent to the agency; something that Woods' personal life struggles may have made more difficult should potential clients believe Steinberg knew anything about his biggest client's personal behavior.