Inside Golf Inc.

Fall 2012

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This marquee golf event featured 5 current PGA Tour professionals and for the second consecutive year all world class Nike athletes. The line-up was comprised of defending champion long bomber Jhonattan Vegas from Venezuela, US Open winner American Lucas Glover, Englishman Paul Casey with 11 global titles under his belt, Swedish sensation Carl Pettersson who has won five times on the PGA Tour including a win in 2012 at the RBC Heritage Classic and rounding out the field, Canadian and Players Champion Stephen Ames. It was a great mix of players sporting the Swoosh representing countries from around the globe. Nike Golf's Canadian Director of Marketing Vitalis Gomes commented on the players' camaraderie, "No disrespect to the previous events, but I think the content is more compelling because the guys know each other well. They know each other and they like each other and it is reflected in how they interact. The television guys had to remind them they were wearing microphones – the banter is that good." Throughout the event the 5 pros needled and trash talked each other all in good natured fun to raise money for the designated charity the IWK Heath Care Foundation providing critical and specialized care to women, children and families throughout the Maritimes. The event kick started with a pro-am on July 30th. The five tour professionals played the front 9 at Glen Arbour with a four person team. It gave the tour players a chance to see the front nine and decide on club selection for the actual Skins match. In addition to the PGA Tour players special celebrity guests Tom Cochrane and Kevin Costner also hosted pro-am 70 teams. Both men had stellar games. Cochrane recently tied for 4th in the Ontario Senior Men's Champion of Champions event and plays to nearly a scratch handicap. Although some spectators wanted to see multiple shots hit over the same water hazard, Costner was nothing like his character Roy McAvoy in Tin Cup. He had a steady game and plays to a single digit handicap. On the hole I caught up with him, he hit a 191 yard shot up hill to 10 feet and drained it for birdie. After a quick lunch break it was back to the course and the players battled it out for Skins supremacy. Holes 1- 6 were worth $15,000 per hole and 6-9 upped the ante to $20,000 per hole. In addition to the purse for the players, TELUS pledged to donate $2,000 for every birdie made by the players and $3,000 for every eagle in addition to $10 for every yard gained off the tee by all 5 players on designated holes, all proceeds going to the designated charity. It was a good battle on Day 1, looking like defending champion Vegas would run away with it, capturing 5 skins and $85,000 with one skin each going to Ames, Casey and Glover and the Swede Pettersson being shut out. That night the players were all on hand at a special function hosted by TELUS at Canada's Ellis Island, Pier 21. All 5 guys were fabulous chatting with everyone. I had the opportunity to talk to Glover one on one and he shared how much he loved the Maritimes and was blown away by Banff, the site of last year's Skins game. He said he wants to take his girlfriend back there to see the Rocky Mountains. Continued On Next Page ALL IMAGES COURTESY FACILITY EXCEPT WHERE NOTED

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