With 61 Major championship victories, more than any other golf company in history, Wilson Golf proudly announces its 2012 lineup.

“We are proud to introduce our new line of golf equipment,” said Tim Clarke, General Manager of Wilson Golf. “The FG Tour V2 and Ci11 irons, along with our new golf balls, are key products that will give golfers great options for their game.”

FG Tour V2 irons – Wilson Golf worked with PGA TOUR professionals Padraig Harrington, Ricky Barnes and Kevin Streelman in the development of the FG Tour V2 irons. With a thinner topline and less offset, the V2 irons offer powerful, consistent trajectory and a classic setup.  The FG Tour V2s optimize MOI for added forgiveness and incorporates precise weight distribution in the cavity and perimeter.

Ci11 irons – In its fourth generation, the black Ci11 irons are perfect for crossover players seeking power and forgiveness. The PVD finish reduces the visual size of the head, diminishing glare at address.  The Ci11′s thinner, harder face promotes the maximum CT allowed by the USGA for stronger ball flight and increased distance.

FG Tour X Golf Ball – A multilayer urethane ball, the FG Tour X (similar in design to the Titleist Pro V1x) delivers exceptional distance, shot-stopping spin and Tour caliber feel. Integrating Traction Control Technology, the FG Tour X offers the ideal spin and control on iron and wedge shots from any length. With excellent scuff resistance and 93 compression core, the FG Tour X is perfect for players with a faster swing speed.

Duo Golf Ball – The Wilson Staff Duo is a high-performance two-piece golf ball designed for players seeking a soft feel without compromising distance. The Duo is comparable in distance to the Titleist NXT, but is nearly 40 compression points softer. The softer feel of the Wilson Staff Duo leads to improve playability around the greens.

For 2012, Wilson’s equipment line-up includes:

• DXi Superlight Driver
  • Lightest driver that Wilson has ever engineered (269g)
  • Lightest club MOI, which translated means easier to swing with more speed generated.
• FYbrid RS
  • Simplifies club selection for your long game
  • Rocker Sole face creates even symmetry at address to identify ideal impact area
• 88 Series BLK Putters
  • Classic Wilson putter shapes updated with precision milling and black PVD finish
• Ionix Carry Bags
  • Lightweight construction, supreme durability and comfort
  • Rocker stand, integrated base activation with FRP (Fibre reinforced polymer) legs

Lexus is thrilled to announce the addition of 23-year-old Australian golf sensation Jason Day to its roster of sponsored golf champions. Day’s sponsorship kicks off at the 2011 U.S. Open Championship (June 16-19) where the young star will wear the Lexus logo on his apparel and make appearances at Lexus events as a brand ambassador.

“Jason Day represents the next generation of golf,” said David Nordstrom, vice president of marketing for Lexus.  “He plays with the same dedication to excellence Lexus applies to every car it manufactures. Jason will be instrumental in helping us introduce the brand, and our entire line of vehicles, to a whole new demographic of young drivers around the world.  And as one of the youngest players in the PGA, we’re confident in his ability to do that.”

“I’m excited to have Lexus sponsor me because it’s a premium brand that is dedicated to perfection, and that’s what golf is all about,” says Day. “I’m looking forward to joining Lexus’ elite roster of champions.”

Lexus’ golfer line-up includes Nick Watney, Natalie Gulbis, Charles Howell III, Annika Sorenstam, Peter Jacobsen, Mark O’Meara, Raymond Floyd and Johnny Miller.

Day earned his Nationwide Tour card in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since. His win at the 2007 Legend Financial Group Classic on the Nationwide Tour made him the youngest person ever to win a PGA TOUR sanctioned event. He ended up finishing 5th on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list to earn his PGA TOUR card for 2008. In May of 2010, he became the youngest Australian to win a PGA TOUR event, winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship. In April, Day tied for second at The Masters and holds six top-ten finishes in 2011.

Day was introduced to golf by his father at an early age.  After his father passed away when Jason was only 12, Coach Col Swatton encouraged him to stick with the sport and eventually helped him attend a golf academy in Australia where he fine-tuned his skills.

The 26-year-old American, who grew up in South Carolina and now lives in Florida, is a new Schueco brand ambassador.

Starting immediately he will wear the logo of Schueco, the leading provider of Green Technology for the Blue Planet and Clean Energy from Solar and Windows, a company which is active in more than 75 countries. Finishing an outstanding fourth in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea (April 28 – May 1), Johnson had an excellent debut as a Schueco brand ambassador.

As a Schueco brand ambassador, Dustin Johnson now belongs to a team of popular world-class golfers who tee off on climate protection around the world and will play in the Schueco Open 2011 in Duesseldorf. Visitors to the tournament will once again experience how Schueco and professional golf are a perfect match. In addition to having a connection to nature, for both Schueco and golf, technical perfection, the utmost precision, absolute perfection, and efficient usage of energy are decisive success factors.

Solar energy particularly important

“I’m looking forward to the new task. As someone who was born in the sunny US state of South Carolina and now lives in Florida, solar energy is very important, especially for future generations. Schueco is showing what is possible with energy-efficient production – and I’m proud to work together with this pioneer in global climate protection,” says Dustin Johnson, who since 2008 has teed off on the American PGA tour, on which he has won four tournaments. In 2008, he won the Turning Stone Resort Championship, in 2009 and 2010 the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and in that same year the BMW Championship. In addition, Johnson was on the American Ryder Cup Team in 2010.

Dirk U. Hindrichs, the President and CEO of Schueco International KG, had the following to say about the cooperation with the American all-around golfer: “In Dustin Johnson, we were able to win a great brand ambassador. Due to his charisma and credibility, even off of the fairways he will be an ideal disseminator of our ideas and philosophy, especially with a view to the North American market.”

The number 13 in the world at the Schueco Open

Dustin Johnson will play in front of a European audience on July 31, when the World Number 13 tees off in the Schueco Open at the Golf Club Hubbelrath in Duesseldorf. Several thousand golf fans will attend the tournament. Johnson will be in first-class company and will compete in Germany’s largest and most star-studded invitational tournament alongside other renowned Schueco brand ambassadors, including the German, Martin Kaymer, currently ranked second in the world, as well as Miguel Angel Jimenez, Gregory Havret, Geoff Ogilvy, Henrik Stenson, Edoardo Molinari, and Liang Wenchong.

“I felt confident there was a market for our high end custom golf cart seats. The seats were designed to capture a niche of customers who desire superior quality and detail,” said David Vahala, CEO, Ultimate Golf Seating, with headquarters in Elkhart, Indiana.

“Our first year of selling golf cart seats has proven just that. Consumers across the United States are purchasing Ultimate Golf Seats and the reviews from them are very positive.”

More communities and individuals are turning to golf carts as a vital mode of transportation. Golf carts are not only used by golfers playing their rounds on the course. People take golf carts to neighborhood activities, to shop at local stores and kids even use them to get to school. Golf cart transportation will continue to grow for the golfers and families alike.

With this increased personal use of golf carts comes the individuals’ desire to customize their carts. There is a trend toward people purchasing private golf carts and adding many upgrade options to make their cart more stylish and useful. The Ultimate Golf Seats are designed to accommodate this customizing trend and desire.

Comfort, style, ergonomics and quality are the staples of the Ultimate Golf Seat. These seats are crafted to be posture correct and back supportive, coupled with comfort unmatched in previous golf cart seating.

“When you sit in an Ultimate Golf Seat, you will immediately appreciate it is one of a kind and unmatched in comfort and quality,” states David Vahala.

Ultimate Golf Seating has four styles of seats available, along with a palette of color selections. All of the seats can also be custom embroidered to include, for example, a customer’s favorite club or team. The Luxury Bucket and Luxury Bench seats look like the type of seats you would find in a luxury car. Both feature adjustable headrests and lumbar support, and fold-down armrests. The Luxury Bucket style offers a center locking console, while the Luxury Bench style offers a center fold-down armrest. The seats are made with high-quality, marine grade vinyl for proven durability, while underneath is a foam made of a superior resiliency polyurethane similar to high-end mattresses.

“Golf carts are outside a lot, so we wanted to use materials that are made to withstand UV rays, yet also be easy to clean with our Ultimate Stain Shield Protection coating,” said Vahala.

The other two designs, the Premier Bench Seat and the Elite Bench Seat offer the same quality of materials and comfort as the Luxury series, but are designed for fleet use.

“Ultimate Golf Seating‘s innovative design will ideally fit most prominent golf cart brands,” said Vahala, “and they can be easily installed in just a few steps.”

Pricing for the seats is from $745 to $1295.

“Our seats offer a great alternative to standard seating in two important ways,” said Vahala. “How they feel for your back and how they look on your golf cart.”

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and PGA TOUR today announced they have entered into a five-year integrated marketing partnership that, beginning in 2011, will make IHG an official partner of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour in the hotel and resort category.

IHG owns a portfolio of well-recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.  IHG also manage the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with 52 million members worldwide.

Additionally, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts will extend its title sponsorship of the PGA TOUR’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial through 2015.  Crowne Plaza has served as title sponsor of the historic event since 2007.  Crowne Plaza is known to business travelers as “The Place to Meet” and golf courses have a storied history as informal meeting places, which Crowne Plaza will continue to leverage through its relationship with the PGA TOUR and Colonial Country Club across all IHG brands.

“We are extremely pleased to announce this new long-term relationship with the PGA TOUR, which includes extending our sponsorship of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial,” said Jim Abrahamson, President, The Americas, IHG. “This partnership provides a terrific opportunity for IHG to showcase all its eight brands and bring to life our award winning loyalty program for fans as well as the PGA TOUR’s membership base of players from around the world.”

“We are delighted to extend our tournament sponsorship with Crowne Plaza and to expand our relationship with InterContinental Hotels Group,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is one of the most storied tournaments on the PGA TOUR, as well as one of the leading tournaments in terms of charitable giving, and Crowne Plaza’s sponsorship is important to continuing this legacy. Also, by welcoming IHG as an Official Marketing Partner, our players – as well as their families and caddies – will receive valuable benefits and room options throughout the year.”

As an Official Marketing Partner of the PGA TOUR, IHG will provide a variety of benefits to players, including:

• A designated number of room nights for players across all three Tours
• Platinum status in the Priority Club® Rewards program for all members
• Preferred rates for all players, caddies, media partners and PGA TOUR staff across all of IHG’s brands
• For several players who participate in a special program that includes personal appearances with IHG guests at tournaments and/or use of their name and likeness, additional benefits will include an increased number of complimentary room nights per year

IHG also will invest in PGA TOUR assets including media, special events, TPCs and charitable activities. PGATOUR.COM will feature a “hotel finder” on the tournament pages that will allow fans to easily book hotel rooms at one of IHG’s 4,500 properties when traveling to these events.

“Golf continues to be a great strategic fit for the Crowne Plaza brand and we are extremely proud to be extending our title sponsorship of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial,” said Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Delivery, IHG.  ”We’re particularly pleased to continue our relationship with the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth and be associated with its 65 years of rich tradition, commitment to excellence & charitable giving,”

“We are excited to continue to build on the level of excellence our title sponsor, Crowne Plaza, has brought to this storied championship,” added Chuck Scherer, Colonial Tournament Chairman. “Our members, fans, volunteers, sponsors and charities are all very thankful for Crowne Plaza’s commitment to our community through this partnership.”

The 2011 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, captured in 2010 by Zach Johnson, will be held May 19-22 at Colonial Country Club.  Dating back to 1946, the Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas is the longest-running PGA TOUR tournament held at the same venue.

The saga of golfer Tiger Woods and his relationship with marquee sponsor Nike provided an excellent case study for researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, as they successfully quantified the real-market impacts of his celebrity endorsement from inception to scandal — as they correspond to a single, critical consumer product for the sport — golf balls.

The research was conducted at the Tepper School of Business by Kannan Srinivasan, the Rohet Tolani Distinguished Professor in International Business and H.J. Heinz II Professor of Management, Marketing and Information Systems; Timothy Derdenger, assistant professor of economics and strategy; and doctoral candidate Kevin YC Chung. Golf Datatech LLC, a leading provider of retail marketing information for the golfing industry, extended a rich data set for analysis.

“The industry-wide data that was made available and the unique circumstances involving a high-profile celebrity made this an excellent opportunity for us to study the real-economic impact of celebrity endorsement by focusing on a single product,” said Derdenger. “The retail data shows clear movement in sales and brand market share at particular time points that coincide with Woods’ endorsement of Nike products and during the period of negative publicity associated with his personal scandal, which began last year.”

In golf ball terms, the endorsement of Nike products by Tiger Woods, which began  in 2000, resulted in the acquisition of approximately 4.5 million customers and $60 million dollars in profit (in 1997 dollars) for the last 10 years

In the six months following Mr. Woods’ highly-publicized personal scandal, Nike lost approximately 105,000 customers. However, these losses were not gained by other brands as the negative publicity resulted in a net loss to the golfing industry, overall, of $7.5 million in profit.

“Although several major sponsors cut ties with Tiger Woods — Nike did not,” said Derdenger. “So we examined the net effect on Nike’s sales and market share. What we found is that by maintaining their relationship with Tiger Woods, Nike’s overall profit in golf ball sales was $1.6 million greater than it would have been without him.”

“From the findings of this study, which involve one specific product, we conjecture  that similar market impacts have been realized across a full line of golfing equipment, which Tiger Woods was paid $180 million for 10 years (in 1997 dollars) to endorse. Having found that $60 million was recovered in the golf ball sector alone, we project that this would intensify the overall profits and losses across the golfing industry,” added Chung.  ”Although we have found Woods’ continued endorsement to be profitable for Nike, this may not translate into similar results with non-golf related consumer goods — where the celebrity is not inherently part of the enthusiasts community or where his financial success is not directly tied to  the use of the endorsed product,” said Chung.

The study, “Economic Value of Celebrity Endorsement: Tiger Woods’ Impact on Sales of Nike Golf Balls,” was completed in November 2010 and is awaiting publishing.

The McGladrey Classic, an official PGA TOUR event, will host eight previous Major winners October 6 – 10 at Sea Island Golf Club, Saint Simons Island, Georgia.  In addition to previously committed players Davis Love III, Zach Johnson and Lucas Glover, players Trevor Immelman, David Duval, David Toms, Justin Leonard and Lee Janzen will play the Seaside course, ranked one of the top 100 courses in the U.S. by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest.

Immelman won the Masters, Duval and Leonard the British Open, and Toms the PGA Championship.  Love, Duval and Leonard also won The Players Championship, often referred to as the 5th Major.  Another 5th Major winner, Henrik Stenson, has committed to play in The McGladrey Classic.

“Davis and I are extremely excited to introduce the PGA TOUR family to Georgia’s beautiful Golden Isles.  It’s our dream to create an event that mirrors all our community is renowned for – its rich culture, storied past and extraordinary hospitality,” said tournament executive director Mark Love.  ”We believe that when players and spectators come once, it will quickly become their annual Seaside tradition.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.mcgladreyclassic.com.  Friday, September 24 is the last day to purchase tickets to be mailed.  Tickets purchased after Friday can be picked up at Will Call, located in the event parking area at McKinnon Airport, near the Sea Island Golf Club entrance.

Perkinson, the winner of flight 57, won from the Super Senior division (70 and older).

“I just came down to have some fun and play some golf in Myrtle Beach,” said Perkinson. “I won my flight on Thursday when a competitor double bogeyed the last hole, so I felt fortunate to make it to the finals. In the championship, I was 2-under on the front nine and hung on at a very challenging TPC Myrtle Beach golf course.”

“What a great week of golf in Myrtle Beach,” said Dave Macpherson, tournament director of the GOLF.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. “I cannot remember a week with better weather or a field as competitive as this one. Congratulations to Bobby Perkinson for winning our championship and thanks to all the players for coming to Myrtle Beach to participate in this event.”

Hosted by Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, the GOLF.com World Amateur Handicap Championship is considered to be the most comparable experience to the U.S. Open for the amateur golfer. Held the week before Labor Day, the event is open to all amateur golfers with a verifiable USGA handicap, or the foreign equivalent.

This year, nearly 3,100 players from 48 states and 18 countries competed on more than 55 Myrtle Beach area golf courses in the GOLF.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, the first as a title sponsor for the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED GOLF GROUP. The SI GOLF GROUP is a unit within the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED GROUP. It is the No. 1 media company in golf with a combined audience of 12.6 million avid golfers and fans. GOLF.com is the digital engine of the group and is the most visited website in the sport.

The 28th annual GOLF.com World Amateur Handicap Championship will be held August 29 – September 2, 2011.

SIRIUS XM Radio announced that it will offer ESPN Radio’s live play-by-play coverage of the U.S. Open Golf Championship, running Thursday, June 17, through Sunday, June 20, at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, on SIRIUS channel 120 and XM channel 140.

The U.S. Open Championship is considered by many to be the most difficult and complete test in golf with its length and high rough putting a premium on both distance and accuracy. Pebble Beach has hosted the U.S. Open four previous times, most recently in 2000, when it was won in remarkable fashion by Tiger Woods who finished at 12 under par and an incredible 15 shots better than the runners up.

Live play-by-play will air Thursday and Friday (1:00-7:00 pm ET), Saturday (5:00-11:00 pm/conclusion ET), and Sunday (3:00-9:00 pm/conclusion ET) on ESPN Radio, SIRIUS channel 120 and XM channel 140.

USGA, the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico, annually conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and 10 national amateur championships. The USGA writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, maintains a Handicap System® and celebrates the history of the game. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.

About SIRIUS XM Radio

SIRIUS XM Radio is America’s satellite radio company delivering to subscribers commercial-free music channels, premier sports, news, talk, entertainment, and traffic and weather.

SIRIUS XM Radio has content relationships with an array of personalities and artists, including Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O’Donnell, Jamie Foxx, Barbara Walters, Opie & Anthony, Bubba the Love Sponge®, Bob Edwards, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, Jimmy Buffett, The Grateful Dead, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. SIRIUS XM Radio is the leader in sports programming as the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, Major League Baseball®, NASCAR®, NBA, NHL®, and PGA TOUR® and major college sports.

SIRIUS XM Radio has arrangements with every major automaker. SIRIUS XM Radio products are available at shop.sirius.com and shop.xmradio.com, and at retail locations nationwide, including Best Buy, RadioShack, Wal-Mart and independent retailers.

SIRIUS XM Radio also offers SIRIUS Backseat TV, the first ever live in-vehicle rear seat entertainment featuring Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network; XM NavTraffic® service for GPS navigation systems delivers real-time traffic information, including accidents and road construction, for more than 80 North American markets.

Cox Virginia customers in Hampton Roads, Roanoke and Northern Virginia will have exclusive access to the innovative 3D coverage of the Masters Tournament this week from Augusta National Golf Club. Beginning on April 7, Masters 3D programming can be viewed on 3D-capable television sets and will be available on Cox Channel 895 in all market areas and at no additional cost.

Live 3D coverage will take place starting Wednesday, April 7, 3 to 5 pm ET, with the Par 3 Contest and continue with the Masters Tournament Thursday, April 8 through Sunday, April 11 with two hours each day; live tournament coverage starts at either 4 p.m. ET or 5 p.m. ET each day. In addition to the 3D channel, customers can access Masters content via the On DEMAND library on Channel 1.

The same live 3D coverage will be available on Masters.com and available to those with 3D capable computers.

Multiple 3D cameras will be placed strategically throughout the course at Augusta National, with a focus on the second nine. Viewers will be better able to depict the many subtleties and elevation changes of the course’s grounds.

“Cox is excited to offer our customers access to this innovative television event, bringing our customers the latest in video technology,” said Gary McCollum, Senior Vice President and General Manager Cox Virginia.

Cox customers will need Cox Advanced TV service, HD or HD/DVR receiver rental, HD service and HDMI cable connected to 3DTV to access the 3D programming; this must be HDMI 1.4 compliant with compatible 3D glasses. Masters 3D content is not accessible on CableCARD devices. The TV manufacturer’s specified 3D glasses also will be required to view the content in 3D. Those customers will then be required to tune to channel 895, and change the setting on their 3DTV to 3D format or 3D mode.

Cox Advanced TV service is required to access On DEMAND programming. Content includes:

– Two-hour blocks of 3D content – replays of every day’s 3D telecast aggregated on VOD
– Daily highlights in 3D available the day after live exhibition
– Masters Moments – See golfing greats at the Masters from the 1950s through the 2000s
– 2009 Masters Film – 60 min film chronicling last year’s tournament
– 2009 Par-3 Contest – replay of the Par 3 Contest held during the 2009 Masters Tournament
– BBC Masters Anthology – 60 min unreleased anthology of the Masters

Cox has offered 3D programming to its customers previously, and plans to offer more 3D content in the near future. More information can be found at www.Cox.com/3D.

For customers without the necessary HD and 3D equipment to view the Master’s, the following Cox retail stores will have demonstrations of 3D TV starting April 7 during normal business hours. Each site will have 10 pairs of glasses for customer viewing:

– Hampton Roads: Chesapeake, 725 Eden Way; Suite 708
– Hampton Roads: Kiln Creek, York County, 209 Village Ave; Suite GH
– Northern Virginia: Herndon, 3080 Centreville Road, Herndon
– Roanoke: 5400 Fallowater Lane, Roanoke