Winner To Be Decided By Six-Word Essay
NEW YORK (Nov. 11, 2008) – Golf Digest, the United States Golf Association and NBC Sports are again asking average American golfers “What Would You Shoot?” on a U.S. Open course. The second Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge will test one winner at the site of the 2009 U.S. Open Championship – the Black Course at Bethpage State Park – next June.
The 2009 contest presents a challenging twist right from the start as hopeful participants have only six words to explain why they think they can break a score of 100. Starting today golf fans can go to www.gdopencontest.com to submit their six-word essay. The submission period runs through Jan. 31, 2009.
Entrants may also submit a short video (less than 60 seconds) that further supports their six words. Contenders will be narrowed down to five finalists, with the winner to be chosen by the public, through online voting, in March and April.
The winner of the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge will play 18 holes on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y. only days before the 2009 U.S. Open Championship. NBC will broadcast the round, which will include three celebrities accompanying the winning contestant, as a 90-minute television program on June 21, prior to its final round telecast of the U.S. Open.
“The passion for this opportunity that was expressed by golfers from every walk of life last year was overwhelming,” said Jerry Tarde, Chairman and Editor-In-Chief of Golf Digest. “With the help of the USGA and NBC Sports, we hope to again create a very special and emotional day for one deserving winner.”
The 2008 contest generated 56,374 essays and saw more than 117,000 people vote online for their favorite finalist. John Atkinson, a sales manager from Omaha, Neb., with an 8.0 USGA Handicap Index ®, won with more than 42% of the vote.
“The Challenge – through Golf Digest’s lead-up stories and the NBC broadcast of the competition – was a creative way of giving people a peek into what goes into setting up the U.S. Open every year,” said USGA Executive Director David Fay. “It also provided a fun, informative platform through which we could promote some of our other core programs, including the USGA Handicap System, our role as equipment regulator and our impact – through our Green Section – on golf course conditioning. So we’re delighted to participate again and to see how the average golfer fares on a very challenging golf course set up under U.S. Open conditions.”
Golfers of all handicaps are eligible for the contest. The nationally televised round will be played under the same course conditions and USGA Rules that the U.S. Open competitors will face the following week.
“Last year’s event exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Jon Miller, Executive Vice President, NBC Sports. “The Challenge was embraced by the entire golf community, and one of the highlights was seeing some of the pros come out to watch and enjoy the event, and hearing their positive feedback. We can’t wait to build on last year’s success.”
To enter the 2009 U.S. Open Challenge, visit www.gdopencontest.com. For more information about the Challenge and the 109th U.S. Open Championship at Bethpage Black, visit www.usopen.com. Additional details about the contest can also be found in the December issue of Golf Digest (on newsstands today) and at www.golfdigest.com, and www.nbcsports.com.
Contact:
Brian Fisher
Golf Digest
212-630-2488
Brian.Fisher@GolfDigest.com
Dave Fanucchi
USGA
908-470-1993
dfanucchi@usga.org
Brian Walker
NBC Sports
212-664-5533
Brian.Walker@nbcuni.com