Oklahoma City-based Golf USA Inc. is recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as the Top Golf Franchisor for 2008. It is the fourth time in the last six years that the company has been awarded the magazine’s honor. … Jack Nicklaus will attend the fifth KPMG Golf Business Forum, May 12-14 in Dublin, Ireland, to receive the Golf Business Forum Lifetime Achievement Award. … Annika Sorenstam grants a wish for 14-year-old Molly Esordi of Grosse Ile, Mich. Esordi, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is an avid golfer whose wish was to meet and play golf Sorenstam. Esordi and her family spent the day with Sorenstam at the Annika Academy at Ginn Reunion Resort near Orlando, Fla. … Golf Channel‘s “The Approach with Callaway Golf” will launch its second season on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Kraig Kann will join the series as the new host, presiding over four-time PGA Tour winner Andrew Magee and journalist Alex Miceli. … Jeff Holt is promoted to executive director of the Atlanta Junior Golf Association after serving two years as the organization’s manager of operations. … Jack Nicklaus Golf Apparel presents Nancy Pentiuk with its 2007 Sales Rep of the Year Award. Pentiuk represents the Michigan region in addition to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio. … The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame recognizes the passing of members Charlie Harper and Emory Lee. Harper passed away Jan. 11 at age 85, and Lee on Jan. 22 at age 79. As a professional, Harper won the Georgia State Open, the Georgia PGA Championship, the Southeastern PGA and the Georgia/Alabama PGA. He played in four U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. Lee’s resume includes winning the Georgia State Open, the Georgia PGA Championship and the Georgia Senior Open twice. Lee also played in 10 PGA Senior Championships, three U.S. Senior Opens and the 1968 U.S. Open.
Davis Love III, who has not played golf since the end of September due to a severe left-ankle injury, commits to play the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Love underwent surgery during the first week of October and has undergone an extensive rehab program. “I feel really good about my physical ability in regards to the ankle. Thanks to [trainer] Randy [Myers] and [physical therapist] Damien [Moroney], I am also in the best overall physical shape I have been for some time. Plus, I am hitting the ball pretty good,” Love said. “I am eager to get back into competition and get this year started. I have some goals I want to achieve in 2008 and beyond. So, I am excited to get back into the mix.” … Anthony Kim commits to play the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship, March 13-16 in Jeju, Korea. … Procter & Gamble agrees to become the title sponsor of the newly-renamed P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, July 4-6 in Rogers, Ark. … The Florida State Golf Association announces its 2008 championship schedule, which includes 25 state championships and nine Winter Series events. Entries for all championships are now open at www.fsga.org.
The 91st Florida State Amateur Championship highlights the schedule at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, June 19-22. … Tickets to the third Ginn Open, April 17-20 at Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla., are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call 877-Ginn-Tix or go to www.ginnopen.com. … The Wyndham Championship unveils its new logo. The championship is set for Aug. 14-17 at Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
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