KENNESAW, Ga.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Yamaha Marine Group is pleased to welcome anglers Jordan Lee, Matt Lee, Hunter Bland, Zach Axtman, Scott Rhodes, and Troy Creasy to the Pro Team for the 2018 season. The new team members will compete within the bass and walleye professional tournament circuits, and will serve as ambassadors of the Yamaha Marine brand throughout the year. Yamaha Marine also congratulates 11-year Pro Team member Bill Lowen on his new partnership with Xpress Boats for the 2018 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding group to the Yamaha Marine Pro Fishing family,” said David Ittner, Tournament, Sponsorship and Pro Staff Manager, Yamaha Marine Group. “These are incredibly talented anglers who share Yamaha’s high standards of sportsmanship and ethics. They will make great additions to our team, and we look forward to an exceptional 2018 season.”

2017 Bassmaster Classic® winner Jordan Lee joins the Yamaha Pro team in 2018 as a B.A.S.S.® Elite angler. The 26-year-old angler from Grant, Ala., has been fishing professionally for four years and has had 19 top-10 finishes and 25 top-20 finishes during his short career. His Classic win in Houston solidified his standing as one of the top young Elite anglers. Jordan’s brother, Matt Lee of Guntersville, Ala., also joins the Yamaha Pro team in 2018. Like Jordan, Matt has been fishing professionally for four years as a B.A.S.S.® Elite angler.

“The Yamaha Marine brand represents unmatched performance and reliability on the water, and I am proud to be running a Yamaha outboard on the back of my boat for 2018,” said Jordan Lee. “I believe there are many great opportunities ahead for me this year, and I look forward to working with Yamaha to make this my most successful Elite season ever.”

Hunter Bland will represent the Yamaha Pro Fishing Team during the Bassmaster®Eastern Open tournaments in 2018. Bland is a 2017 graduate of the University of Florida and will serve as an ambassador for boating safety and Yamaha Marine’s Code of Ethics during speaking engagements throughout the year.

In addition, Zach Axtman and Scott Rhodes will join Yamaha Marine’s Pro Walleye Team, fishing the Cabela’s® Masters Walleye Circuit, Cabela’s® National Walleye Tour and the Angler’s Insight Marketing (AIM™) Pro Walleye Series. Professional Northeastern guide Troy Creasy will also join the Yamaha Multi-Species Pro Fishing Team in 2018.

Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s CSI Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.