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June 25, 2010
AHEAD re-signs Arnold Palmer to represent their headwear line
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- AHEAD, the leader in branded headwear and apparel, has announced that it has re-signed legendary golfing great, Arnold Palmer, to represent the company's headwear line.
"We are thrilled that Arnold Palmer has re-signed with AHEAD," said Ken Shwartz, President, AHEAD. "We appreciate his loyalty and support of AHEAD over the years. It is a testimony to the quality of our product line and leadership role in the industry. Arnie's magnetic personality and outpouring of kindness to everyone he encounters over the years has endeared him to millions throughout the world. He is a true asset to AHEAD and we look forward to continuing our relationship with him."
Palmer, nicknamed "The King," is one of golf's most popular stars. His incredible charisma helped him become a trailblazer in establishing golf as a compelling television sports event in the late 1950s. Palmer, one of the most decorated golfers in history, has 92 worldwide wins, including 7 majors. His accomplishments off the course are just as impressive. He is a highly-successful executive, prominent advertising spokesman, skilled aviator, talented golf course designer and consultant and devoted family patriarch.
Palmer, whose licensing rights are managed cooperatively by Arnold Palmer Enterprises (APE) and IMG, will continue to appear in AHEAD's headwear catalog, point of sales materials and website. Additionally, AHEAD is planning to develop an Arnold Palmer label within its golf assortment.
"We are excited to renew this relationship between Arnold Palmer and AHEAD, one of our long-time partners," added Cori Britt, Vice President, Arnold Palmer Enterprises. "Because of his success on and off the course, Arnold Palmer is a fan favorite with all generations, and we're pleased to pair that success with a company like AHEAD."
In addition to the program with Arnold Palmer, AHEAD headwear is also represented on the 2010 PGA TOUR by Retief Goosen, Aaron Baddeley and Jim Furyk.
About AHEAD
AHEAD® is a designer and marketer of branded headwear, apparel and accessories. Headquartered in New Bedford, Mass., the company operates four distinct business units: the AHEAD® men's apparel line; AHEAD® Headgear, AHEAD® "Heavy Metal™" line of golf accessories and the Kate Lord™ Collection of ladies hats, ladies apparel and ladies accessories. AHEAD is a supporting partner of PGA Golf Retirement Plus, a licensee of the USGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the official headwear of the AJGA. For information on AHEAD, visit www.aheadweb.com.
About IMG Licensing
IMG Licensing is the premier independent licensing agency in the world. Since 1962, IMG Licensing has been one of the core business units of IMG and with nearly 50 years of experience IMG Licensing offers an unparalleled resource in the licensing of sporting brands. IMG Licensing also offer expertise in a number of different markets and services outside of sports, including corporate trademarks, brands, and entertainment and celebrity properties. In April 2009, IMG Licensing was voted the No. 1 Licensing Agent in the annual Top 20 List in License Magazine.
Media Contact:
Jackie Beck, 860.304.3643, jackiebeck00@hotmail.com
Tricia Hornsby, 770-618-8418, tricia.hornsby@imgworld.com
Posted by scurry at 03:46 PM
June 22, 2010
ARNOLD PALMER TO SERVE AS HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF 2010 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN AT OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
OAKMONT, PA – The United States Golf Association and Oakmont Country Club
announced today that western Pennsylvania native Arnold Palmer has been named the honorary chairman of the 65th U.S. Women's Open, to be held at Oakmont Country Club from July 5-11, 2010.
"We approached Arnold to serve in this capacity because we wanted to honor his lifelong commitment to
the game of golf and his connection to western Pennsylvania, Oakmont Country Club and the United
States Golf Association," said Carol Semple Thompson, general chairman of the 2010 U.S. Women's
Open and World Golf Hall of Fame member.
By serving as honorary chairman, Palmer will assist in the promotion of the championship by appearing
in a ticket sales advertising campaign. He will appear at an exhibition during the week of the
championship to welcome the crowds back to Oakmont.
Palmer, a Latrobe, Pa., native, competed in four U.S. Opens at Oakmont Country Club including his final
Open appearance in 1994. Palmer's most memorable performance at Oakmont came in 1962, when he
lost to Jack Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff.
"It is an honor to serve as honorary chairman for the U.S. Women's Open and the USGA," said Palmer,
who added with a chuckle, "It will be fun to participate in a championship that I could never win."
Deacon Palmer, Arnold's father, was the head professional and greens keeper at Latrobe Country Club
and introduced him to the game a very young age. Arnold was awarded a golf scholarship from Wake
Forest University but left to serve his country as part of the United States Coast Guard. After a three-year
break from the game, Palmer returned to competitive golf and won the 1954 U.S. Amateur
Championship.
Shortly thereafter, Palmer began playing golf professionally and has recorded an impressive 92 wins
during his lengthy career, including one U.S. Open Championship, one U.S. Senior Open Championship
and four victories at The Masters Tournament.
For additional information on the 2010 U.S. Women's Open, please visit www.2010uswomensopen.com.
Championship tickets are now on sale and limited volunteer positions are still available.
About the 2010 U.S. Women's Open
The 2010 U.S. Women's Open will bring a field of 156 of the world's best professional and amateur
women golfers to Oakmont Country Club. It will be the second time the Women's Open will be contested
at Oakmont. Patty Sheehan won the 1992 championship in a playoff over Juli Inkster after finishing at 4-
under-par for 72 holes of regulation play.
About the USGA
The USGA is the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico, a combined territory that
includes more than half the world's golfers and golf courses.
The Association's most visible role is played out each season in conducting 13 national championships,
including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open. Ten additional USGA national
championships are exclusively for amateurs, and include the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Women's
Amateur.
The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance
consultations, funds research for better turf and a better environment, maintains a Handicap System and
administers an ongoing "For the Good of the Game" grants program, which has allocated more than $65
million over 13 years to successful programs that bring the game's values to youths from disadvantaged
backgrounds and people with disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
-30-
Contact:
Lindsay Weber – 2010 U.S. Women's Open – lweber@2010uswomensopen.com - (412) 828-2010
Tom Wallace – Oakmont Country Club – twallace@oakmont-countryclub.org – (412) 828-8000
Posted by scurry at 10:14 AM
June 15, 2010
Fifty years ago, Arnold Palmer summoned the stuff of legend at the U.S. Open
By Jeff Shain, Orlando Sentinel
The then-30-year-old Palmer's famous charge in the final round of the 1960 Open at Cherry Hills, beginning with his determined effort to drive the green at the 346-yard first hole, laid the groundwork for a 65 and a stirring victory that brought the Hall of Famer his only Open title.
Read the full story on OrlandoSentinel.com
Posted by scurry at 03:54 PM
June 14, 2010
ARNOLD PALMER ATTENDS THE ANNUAL U.S. OPEN ROLEX DINNER
PEBBLE BEACH, CA – For more than 30 years, Arnold Palmer has made an appearance for Rolex at their annual U.S. Open dinner for partners and guests, which is somewhere at or near the famous event on the Monday night of Open week.
This year the dinner will be staged at the Beach Club at Pebble Beach and hosted by Allen Brill, President and CEO of Rolex USA.
During the last few years, Jim Nantz has emceed the event and conducted a conversation with Palmer to entertain guests.
"Rolex is one of my long-standing partners and I look forward to the event each and every year." said Palmer.
"Being on the board at Pebble Beach and working on the course for this year's Open makes it even that more special."
Posted by scurry at 05:30 PM
June 09, 2010
Big 3 reunite to raise more than $15 Million for Mountain Mission
BRISTOL, Va. -- Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have set many records over the course of their Hall of Fame careers, but what happened on Tuesday at The Olde Farm Golf Club will be hard to top.
"The Big 3" came together to help raise $15,149,183.98 in The Big 3® for the Mountain Mission Kids sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, a 19-hole scramble event in which they competed against 19 different teams of three amateur players for the benefit of the Mountain Mission School.
"The Big 3" won the competition with a 10-under 63 defeating the amateur teams by three strokes, but the real winner was Mountain Mission School. The $15.1 million raised is the most ever by a golf tournament in a single day.
"What happened here today is very special and this is a historic occasion," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem on Tuesday. "The efforts of Jim McGlothin, Johnson & Johnson, the membership of The Olde Farm and especially 'The Big 3' really epitomize what we mean when we say that Together, anything's possible."
The Big 3® for the Mountain Mission Kids, sanctioned by the PGA TOUR, was organized by Grundy native Jim McGlothlin, founder of The Olde Farm and a longtime benefactor of the school.
"To be able to do this is a testament to the hard work of a lot of dedicated people," said McGlothlin. "It is very rewarding to be able to make this donation to the Mountain Mission School. The work they do there is incredible and is making a huge difference in the lives of many kids."
"I am very happy to thank all of you who have made such a wonderful contribution," said Palmer. "It was a privilege and honor to be here today."
"The day was spectacular," said Nicklaus. "We go to a lot of places and we raise a lot of money, but I have never seen a group that has absolutely been as philanthropic as you."
"There was great enthusiasm that took place here today," said Player. "This is a country of giving back. I've been coming back for 55 years and people are always giving back. It's such a fantastic thing."
Historic Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Va., which has sheltered and educated an estimated 20,000 needy children over its 87 years, will receive substantial support from the event. The school operates entirely from private donations and today's efforts will help establish a sustained endowment for Mountain Mission School.
Mountain Mission School is a non-profit institution that has 230 resident students ages 18 months to 20 years, attending a private school made of grades pre-kindergarten through 12. In recent years, more than 90 percent of the schools graduates have enrolled in colleges.
The campus has grown from a single building when it opened in 1921 to the campus it is today, with an educational building, vocational and fine arts building, campus chapel, administration building and three separate residences for girls, four residences for boys and a toddler hall for boys and girls under the age of seven.
A one-hour special about the Mountain Mission School and The Big 3® for the Mountain Mission Kids will air Saturday, July 10 from 2-3:00 p.m. ET prior to the third-round telecast of the PGA TOUR's John Deere Classic on CBS.
To find out more about The Big 3® for the Mountain Mission Kids and how you can help, log onto PGATOUR.COM/Together or to make a donation directly through PGA TOUR Charities, Inc. to support Mountain Mission School click here.
Posted by scurry at 03:26 PM
June 02, 2010
ARNOLD PALMER INTERVIEW ON PEBBLE BEACH
LATROBE, PA - Arnold Palmer discusses the recent changes to the Pebble Beach Golf Links that he and his golf course design company recently performed for the upcoming 2010 U.S. Open.
The primary purpose of the course renovation was to maintain Pebble Beach's historic value.
"It's been a great privilege for me to be on the board at Pebble. And of course my position as a board member is looking after the golf course and the operations that concern the golf course. We tried to really keep it, much as the intentions for maintaining the historic value of the golf course. And of course for me to be doing it, it has been a lot of fun." said Palmer.
"We're extremely pleased to have the Open coming and to work with the USGA. We think it's going to be one of the great Opens of all time."
In looking at old photos of the course, Palmer and his design team "put the golf course where it was when it was beginning." said Palmer. "We tried to restore the greens to their original positions." Play will be shaped in the U.S. Open this year with the changes to the fairways and "will force the players to go closer to the ocean."
The most dramatic hole changes were:
- Hole #1 - Restored green & greenside bunkering to original from 1918 photo
- Hole #3 - Added bunkers on the right side of the fairway; turns hole visually to the left
- Hole #4 - Added a trio of new bunkers short and left of the green
- Hole #6 - Reconfigured bunkering left of fairway to tighten landing area
- Hole #18 - Replaced pine in front of the green with cypress
A total of 4 greens and 16 bunkers were rebuilt, altered or installed. 11 tees were enhanced and 6 holes have new or adjusted trees.
The total length of the course is now 7,014 yards with an average green size of 3,500 sq. ft.
So how will PGA TOUR players fare with the changes at this year's U.S. Open? "I would look for the scores to be pretty good. Moving the hitting areas to the ocean on 9 of the holes is going to have some effect and the fact that some of the greens are smaller will also have an effect. I look for a great tournament. I think the excitement of seeing the guys scoring well at Pebble will be good, but they'll be some disasters too." said Palmer.
[Click here to download a Quicktime of the whole interview. ] Length 20 Min / 48MB
Palmer discusses the Pebble Beach renovation
Courtesy of the USGA
Posted by scurry at 03:12 PM