Augusta, Ga., June 28, 2012 – Matt Dobyns, a 34-year-old head professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, N.Y., didn’t expect either of the rewards – the champion’s trophy or the Club Car golf car – he earned in the 45th PGA Professional National Championship.
Dobyns, who almost didn’t enter the tournament because he was worried about missing a Ladies Member-Guest event at his home club, on Wednesday completed a record-breaking victory in the showcase event for PGA Professionals. Dobyns’ 13-under-par total was eight shots better than his closest challenger at the Bayonet Black Horse course in Seaside, Calif., shattering Sam Snead’s 41-year margin-of-victory record of five strokes.
In Tuesday’s third round, Dobyns made a hole-in-one on the 14th hole at Bayonet to win a Club Car Precedent i2 golf car. Club Car is a brand of Ingersoll Rand.
“First of all, an ace is not about skill, it’s about luck,” said Dobyns, who was playing in his first Professional National Championship. “I’m just trying to keep the ball on the green, and the ball bounces and it goes into the hole. … I didn’t see it at all, and then I saw people waving their arms around, and they said I won a golf cart. I don’t know how I’m going to get that back to New York.”
Officials from Club Car, which joined Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA as a presenting sponsor of the PGA Professional National Championship, said the company will ship the car displayed on the 14th tee to Dobyns, or he can order a different one when he gets back home.
Club Car’s sponsorship of the event along the Monterey Peninsula continued a longstanding relationship with the PGA of America. “We believe PGA Professionals are golf’s finest ambassadors, and we applaud their many contributions to the game and business of golf,” said Club Car President and CEO Marc Dufour.
“It’s the biggest tournament I have ever won, and will probably be the biggest tournament I’ll ever win,” said Dobyns. “I’m trying to cherish each second, because it’s going too quickly.”
About Ingersoll Rand and Club Car
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) is a world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments in commercial, residential and industrial markets. Our people and our family of brands-including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Schlage®, Thermo King® and Trane® -work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings, transport and protect food and perishables, secure homes and commercial properties, and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. Club Car has been one of the most respected names in the golf industry for more than half a century. The Club Car product portfolio has grown to include much more than golf cars, now encompassing golf and commercial utility vehicles, multi-passenger shuttle vehicles, rough-terrain and off-road utility vehicles and street legal low-speed vehicles for commercial and consumer markets. Ingersoll Rand is a $14 billion global business committed to sustainable business practices within our company and for our customers. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.clubcar.com.
Contact:
Tim Walls
Club Car, a brand of Ingersoll Rand
tim_walls@clubcar.com, 706-228-7190
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com, 678-366-3232
