Opportunity to earn a spot in the Hyundai Invitational National Final and a chance to take the road to Kapalua for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions
Goodyear, AZ, August 27, 2014 – The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro-Am has secured Hyundai as its newest sponsor, providing the popular fundraising tournament with a premier automotive presence. Hyundai’s involvement will include vehicle displays, hole-in-one opportunity for the all-new 2015 Genesis sedan, numerous prizes and giveaways, plus a charitable donation to the tournaments worthy cause.
Additionally, two winners from the tournament’s first-place team will be invited to compete in October at the Hyundai Invitational National Final at the Cascata Golf Club in Las Vegas, NV. There they will compete against winners from the 50 other Hyundai Invitational tournaments.
At the Hyundai Invitational National Final, the player with the low-net score from his/her region will receive a trip to the PGA TOUR’s winners-only event, the 2015 Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. The player with the overall low-net score at the National Final will also earn a spot in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Pro-Am, the only pro-am where you’re guaranteed to be partnered with a PGA TOUR player.
The Sixth Annual Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro-Am is set for Monday, September 22 at Tuscany Falls Golf Course in Goodyear, AZ. This scramble format event, which is open to male and female amateur players, will commence with an 8:00 a.m. shotgun start. Entry fee is $250 and proceeds from the tournament benefit the Marilynn Smith Golf Scholarship Fund. In 2013, event organizers provided twenty scholarships ($100,000) for female college-bound golfers.
The $250 pro-am entry fee includes golf with an LPGA professional, breakfast-on-the-run, an awards luncheon with live and silent auctions plus gifts and Sunday Tea the day prior to the tournament where players can meet and greet LPGA pros. The Sunday Tea is a free event open to the public. Raffle tickets are available for golfers and non-golfers with three fabulous draws?a stunning Rolex watch, a Stay & Play Golf Experience for four at Sevillano Links at Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, CA, and a trio of short game equipment? two Ping wedges and a Ping putter.
This year’s tournament honoree is Patty Sheehan, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame with 35 LPGA tour victories, including 6 major championships. Joining Sheehan as participants in the pro-am are other golf legends including LPGA co-founder Shirley Spork, Jane Crafter, Sherri Turner, Ellie Gibson, Tina Barrett, Shelley Hamlin and Sharon Miller. Also featured is 15-year-old golf sensation Alexis Monet Flores.
“The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro Am is honored to be part of the Hyundai Invitational tournament series, enhancing and elevating the experience for our participants,” said Debbie Waitkus, tournament co-director.
“The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro Am is a perfect fit for the Hyundai Invitational tournament series and we are excited to collaborate with them through this unique golf event,” said Steve Shannon, vice president, marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “The players at the tournament are sure to enjoy our all-new Genesis and explore Hyundai’s interpretation of what a premium vehicle should be.”
The all-new 2015 Genesis sedan represents a bold step forward for Hyundai, continuing to build upon its successful strategy of marketing its premium models under the Hyundai brand umbrella. The new Genesis is incredibly well-equipped in every configuration, including a generous suite of standard safety and convenience features.
A feature golfers will appreciate is Hyundai’s new Smart Trunk. The Smart Trunk system opens the trunk automatically if the smart key is detected in a pocket within a few feet of the rear bumper for longer than three seconds. This system allows the driver to keep both feet comfortably on the ground, simply waiting by the trunk a few seconds for it to open automatically, making it much easier to get golf clubs in and out of the trunk.
Hyundai’s sponsorship of The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro-Am is part of a new program called the Hyundai Invitational. Hyundai is sponsoring 50 of the most well-established charity golf tournaments across the country to connect the passion of golf fans with Hyundai’s premium vehicle lineup. For more information on all the tournaments, please visit www.Hyundai-Invitational.com. This program is being managed by Advantage International.
About The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro-Am
The Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro Am benefits the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund, which provides grants to female students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, and extraordinary community involvement and intend to play collegiate golf. LPGA Golf Legend Marilynn Smith, in whose name the tournament is fondly named, is a distinguished member of the World Golf Hall of Fame; she is a co-founder of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and winner of 21 LPGA events including 2 majors. Smith, who is commonly referred to as one of golf’s greatest ambassadors, founded the scholarship fund because of the lack of monies available to her while playing golf at the University of Kansas in 1948. While competing in the Women’s National Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, her father inquired at the university about travel expense money for his daughter. At the time, the response from the athletic department was, “Mr. Smith, it’s too bad your daughter is not a boy.” This served as the catalyst for Smith to establish a golf scholarship fund specifically for young women planning to attend college. For more information and to support the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund, please visit, www.LPGAFoundation.org/MSmith.
About Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Blue Link Assurance Connected Care provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for one year with enrollment. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling. For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com. Visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com.
Contact:
Debbie Waitkus
Dwaitkus@golfforcause.com
