Golf In New York City Blog

The LPGA is Coming To New Jersey May 12 to 18, 2008

Upper Mountclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey will host the best Women Golfers in the world this month. Below is information concerning the event. I am planning on being there on Saturday afternoon. We should all use this opportunity to see great golf on a great golf course. Please support the LPGA and this event!

Sybase Classic and Sponsors Create Exciting Tournament Promotions

Clifton, NJ – Tournament officials for the Sybase® Classic presented by ShopRite have announced the additional of several exciting, new promotions for 2008. The new promotions were designed with the Tournament’s corporate partners in mind, while giving area New Jersey golfing fans the opportunity to attend the exciting LPGA event.

“We are very thankful to our partners’ enthusiasm towards making this year’s Tournament a premier event on the LPGA Tour,” said tournament manager Julie Howell. “These unique opportunities would not have been possible without our Tournament partners’ passion towards the success of this event.”

Sybase, Inc. the Tournament’s title sponsor, has developed a Text-to-Win promotion that utilizes its mobile messaging services. Fans can text ‘LPGA’ to ‘Sybase’ (792273) on their mobile phones to receive two free daily tickets to the Sybase Classic. In addition, all fans that participate will automatically be entered in the Lincoln Mercury Sweepstakes Putt-Off contest for a two-year lease on a Lincoln Mercury vehicle.

Additionally, ShopRite stores will be running a free ticket promotion for Price Plus card members. All cardholders can present their Price Plus cards at the Tournament main gate for two daily tickets. In addition, ShopRite Price Plus Member Day is scheduled for Sunday, May 18.

Lincoln Mercury, the official automobile provider of the Tournament, is giving back to their customers by presenting the third round of the Tournament on Saturday, May 17. Lincoln Mercury Day will allow all Lincoln Mercury vehicle owners to receive free admission on Saturday by presenting their automobile keys at the main gate. As part of the day’s festivities, Lincoln Mercury will give away a two-year lease to the winner of the Lincoln Mercury Sweepstakes Putt-off contest on the 18th green immediately following third round play. In addition, they are giving incentives to prospective car buyers by launching a new promotion at their local dealerships and Upper Montclair Country Club during Tournament week. Customers that register for a test drive will receive a gift card that is redeemable at local ShopRite stores.

Ticket, sponsorship and volunteer information is available at www.sybaseclassic.com. Children 17 and under are admitted free all week with a ticketed adult.

About Sybase
Sybase is the largest enterprise software and services company exclusively focused on managing and mobilizing information. With our global solutions, enterprises can extend their information securely and make it useful for people anywhere using any device. The world’s most critical data in commerce, communications, finance, government and healthcare runs on Sybase. For more information, visit http://www.sybase.com.

About the Ladies Professional Golf Association
As the longest-running women’s professional sports organization in the world, the LPGA features a membership comprised of world-class LPGA Tour professionals and dedicated Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP). Today’s LPGA Tour features the most talented global sampling of professional athletes competing in 35 events on six continents with total prize money of more than $60 million. In addition to its dynamic Tour members, nearly 1,200 certified T&CP members serve the golf industry in teaching, coaching and management positions, and oversee programs aimed at increasing the involvement of women, girls and youth in golf. The not-for-profit LPGA’s Vision is to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the best golf professionals in the world. Its Mission is to be a leader in the world of sports, to promote economic empowerment for all members, and to serve as role models on and off the course. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information on the LPGA, log on to www.LPGA.com.

About ShopRite
ShopRite supermarkets are members of Wakefern Food Corporation, a retailer-owned cooperative with stores located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware. ShopRite serves more than 5 million customers each week. A long time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite has been named the New Jersey Corporate Philanthropist of the Year by the Community Foundation of New Jersey. America’s Second Harvest Food Bank Network also has recognized ShopRite as the Grocery Distributor of the year for its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, a year-round initiative dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities served by ShopRite. Since its inception, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated more than $13 million to more than 1,400 worthy charities.

About Octagon
Octagon is the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency with global expertise in consulting, athletes & personalities, event management, property representation, marketing solutions, licensing and merchandising and talent procurement. As part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world’s leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services, Octagon employs more than 1,000 people in 60 offices around the world. Octagon’s Golf Division manages two Champions Tour events, three LPGA Tour events and one Nationwide Tour event. Additionally, Octagon’s Golf Division represents many of golf’s top professionals including Grace Park, Christina Kim and Beth Daniel, and the marketing rights to brothers, Bobby and Lanny Wadkins.

I grew up and learned my golf at Dyker Beach Golf Course located in Brooklyn, New York.

Dyker Beach has a long history of being great for Junior Golf. Countless PGA Members have learned at Dyker Beach. Tiger Wood’s Dad, Earl Woods, started playing golf at Dyker Beach.

The City Parks Foundation is continuing in this great tradition. The Junior Golf Center built on the premises at Dyker Beach is scheduled to open in July. All programs are free and offered for children ages 6 -16. Schedules for classes and registration information will be posted in May at www.cityparksfoundation.org.

Adult volunteers will play a big role in the success of the Junior Golf Center. Interested adults are encouraged to apply. Email for more information: ggaulocher@cityparksfoundation.org. qualified instructors seeking teaching opportunities can request further information from the same email address.

Gregg Gaulocher, a PGA Golf Professional will be running the facility. Greg also has a long history of operating Junior Golf programs. He has worked with the Metropolitan PGA Golf in Schools program and the First Tee.

I know Greg will do a great job. Junior golf is still going strong in Brooklyn.

If you can help, please contact Greg Gaulocher!

The Sybase LPGA Event returns to Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, Next Month. I am planning on being there on Saturday Afternoon May 17th. If you are going to be there, please let me know.
Tournament officials for the Sybase® Classic presented by ShopRite today announced the commitments of former champions Sherri Steinhauer (1999 and 2004), Hee-Won Han (2003), Gloria Park (2002) and Michele Redman (1997) to the 19th annual LPGA Tour event at historic Upper Montclair Country Club, May 15 – 18. They will compete with reigning two-time Rolex Player of the Year Lorena Ochoa, who will seek her third straight Sybase Classic title.

“As our 2008 event nears, we can’t help remembering our past champions and their superb play,” said Julie Howell, tournament manager. “It is very exciting to see some of these champions returning with hopes to recreate the magic of past years.”

Steinhauer is one of four two-time winners of the Sybase Classic, along with Betsy King, Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa. In 1999, she shot an 11-under-par 273 and had to defeat Lori Kane on the 5th hole of a sudden death playoff for the crown. Her second title in 2004 came a little easier, as she won by two strokes over Grace Park with a total of 12-under-par 272. In 2007, Steinhauer won her eighth LPGA title at the LPGA State Farm Classic and was a member of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup Team, where she posted a 1-0-2 record in her 4th U.S. Team appearance.

Han became a Rolex First-Time Winner when she won the 2003 title. She shot a 12-under-par 273 total and defeated veteran Meg Mallon by two strokes. Since then, Han has crossed the $4 million mark in career earnings and won six career victories on the LPGA Tour. She returns in 2008 after playing in just seven events in 2007 due to the birth of her son, Dale.

In 2002, Park defeated Han on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to win her second career LPGA Tour tournament. She had a four-day total of 12-under-par 270. Since her victory, Park has crossed the $3 million mark in career earnings and posted 28 top-10 finishes.

In 1997, Redman was crowned the champion after her 12-under-par 272 performance. Her first round 64 helped her outlast a late charge by Annika Sorenstam. Since her victory, Redman has crossed the $5 million plateau in career earnings, good for 26th in all-time earnings.

Ticket, sponsorship and volunteer information is available at www.sybaseclassic.com. Those 17 and under are admitted free all week with a ticketed adult.

Doral This Week:

This year the World Golf Championships – CA Championship is returning to Doral, March 19-23, 2008. One of three World Golf Championships events, the CA Championship will feature the top-50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking along with top finishers on the money lists of the six Tours comprising the International Federation of PGA Tours (PGA TOUR, European Tour, Australasian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour). They will compete for the $1.35 million first-place prize and the Gene Sarazen Cup. The winner will have to tame the famed Blue Monster Course at Doral Golf Resort and Spa.
The Blue Monster: Home of the 2008 World Golf Championships - CA Championship
The famed Blue Monster Course of the Doral Golf Resort & Spa has played host to the PGA Tour for more than 45years. In fact, virtually every great name in golf has had a moment of personal triumph at this world-class venue. Originally designed by Dick Wilson, this course provide a challenging test for the world’s best players. At 7,266 yards, both length and finesse are needed to score well on this historic course. The Blue Monster features the famous 18th hole, a demanding par 4 that is ranked consistently as one of the Top 100 Holes in the World.