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BRIEFLY

» Etcetera

Sandy LaBauve and Brittany Lincicome will serve as national ambassadors for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2009. LaBauve is the woman who started the program that would become Girls Golf. … Larabar, a nutritious bar blended with whole fruit and nuts, introduces its sponsorship of the American Junior Golf Association, and will provide bars for all 84 tournaments on the schedule in 2009. … The Glens Golf Group is offering its “Just Pack Your Shoes” golf package, where packages are available at any price point on the company’s three courses – Heather Glen, in Little River, S.C., and Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links and Possum Trot in Myrtle Beach, S.C. … IMG Golf Course Services hires three general managers for its three Asian courses – Andrew Smith at Tai Ping Lake, China; Mark Reeves at Red Flag Valley Golf Club, Dalian, China; and David Townend, The Mines Resort and Golf Club, Malaysia. … Comcast Programming Group launches the Comcast Sports Sales group to combine the strengths and assets of the Golf Channel and Versus sales teams. The new unit will focus on growing and diversifying sponsorship platforms for the networks and create new opportunities for ownership positions across multiple sports. … The Bay Area Golf Show is scheduled for March 6-8 and is being moved from San Mateo, Calif., to the San Jose Convention Center. The show will offer low prices on the latest equipment along with an interactive Demo Line. … Don Ochsenreiter is named president of the Annika Foundation, Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam’s philanthropic organization. … IMG signs 17-year-old pro Ryo Ishikawa to a management agreement. … United Sports Technologies announces it has combined operations and are assuming responsibility for the sports division of its parent company, Mamiya-OP. The combined operations will be known as UST Mamiya, and will provide original equipment manufacturers and distribution partners with a more global solution to operational activities. … Greg Norman Collection introduces its fall 2009 menswear line with one extensive color palette and an emphasis on patterns in fashion pieces. … Chris Cupit of Alpharetta is elected president of the Georgia State Golf Association, highlighting the association’s 2009 annual meeting. The president’s term is for one year, with an option for a second one-year term in 2010. … Matt Thurmond of the University of Washington has been selected to coach the American team at the 2009 Palmer Cup at Cherry Hills Country Club, June 3-5. … The Golf Industry Show partners have reached capacity on a volunteer project with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity that will send almost 200 volunteers to the Central City section of New Orleans Feb. 3-4. … The Connecticut Golf, Sports, and Entertainment Expo will be held today, Friday, through Feb. 1 at the CT Expo Center in New Britain, Conn. General admission is $8 and a premium ticket is $15, which includes a free round of golf at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain and a one-year subscription to Golf Digest. … The Ontario PGA launches an ontariopga.com Web site. … Pawleys Plantation in Pawleys Island, S.C., extends its “Best Ever Golf School Package” through May 18. The package combines accommodations, golf on the Pawleys Plantation course, and three-days of golf school at the on-site Phil Ritson-Mel Sole Golf School.

» Tournaments

The ACE Group Classic announces that 18 former PGA Tour major champions are committed to play in the Champions Tour event, Feb. 20-22 in Naples, Fla., including Ben Crenshaw, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Larry Nelson, Curtis Strange and Fuzzy Zoeller. Also, Hal Sutton will make his Champions Tour debut. … Entries are being accepted for the men’s 80th and ladies 78th Bermuda Amateur Championships, March 9-14 at the Mid Ocean Club, Bermuda. For information, call 441.295.9972 or e-mail bdagolf@ibl.bm. … Indiana University, East Carolina and Stanford University have been selected to host 2010 NCAA Women’s Golf Regionals, May 6-8. East Carolina will host the East Regional at the Ironwood Country Club in Greenville, N.C.; Indiana will host the Central Regional at Otter Creek Golf Club in Columbus, Ind.; and Stanford will host the West Regional at the Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, Calif.

Inaugural Kodak Challenge Continues at Buick Invitational

The inaugural Kodak Challenge selects the 14th hole at Torrey Pines’ South Course as the fourth hole in its season-long competition. Players must play 18 of the 30 Kodak Challenge holes to compete for $1 million and the trophy. A player’s lowest score relative to par on his best 18 holes will be counted.

PrideSports Captures 2009 FBR Open

PrideSports, maker of Softspikes golf cleats, reports winning its 4th PGA Tour event of 2009 while dominating the cleat field at the FBR Open. Nearly 70 percent of the plastic and metal wearing cleat field used the company’s products, including the Pulsar and Black Widow models.