IMMEDIATE RELEASE



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Immediate Release

September 13, 2011

FIELD ANNOUNCED FOR 2011 SPECIAL OLYMPICS GOLF NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT, SEPT.22-25

PGA of America, PGA Tour & USGA Support 12th Annual Tournament

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – A roster of more than 200 golfers from 21 U.S. states, plus Bermuda and Canada, has been announced for the 12th Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla,, Sept. 22-25, 2011. The PGA of America, PGA Tour and United States Golf Association (USGA) are presenting sponsors of the national tournament.

Special Olympics golf is part of the worldwide Special Olympics sports movement for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics golfers and their Unified partners (for team play), ranging in age from 14- to 73-years old, will compete in one of five levels of competition on the award-winning Ryder and Wanamaker Courses of PGA Golf Club, a six-time host venue of the event.

Olympic-style Opening Ceremonies will tee off the event on Thursday, Sept. 22, with three competitive golf rounds played Friday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Sept. 25.  Medal ceremonies for the golf competition will take place immediately following the final round on Sunday, Sept. 25.

Special Olympics golf, part of a worldwide sports program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, offers five levels of play for athletes with different golf abilities. Special Olympics golf Level I competition consists of an individual skills contest, where six golf skills are tested. Level II is an alternate shot team play, where a Special Olympics athlete is paired with a non-Special Olympics partner of more advanced skill for a 9-hole competition. Level III is Unified Sports® team play, pairing Special Olympics and Unified partners of similar ability for an 18-hole competition. Levels IV and V are individual stroke play 9-hole and 18-hole competitions, respectively. 

The Special Olympics golf program began in 1988 with the assistance of The PGA of America and USGA.  Since then both associations contribute to the growth of the program with grassroots training, rules education, tournament administration and national program financial support.  The PGA Tour also provides ongoing financial support to the program and PGA Tour player Padraig Harrington is a global ambassador for the international sports program helping to implement golf programs and initiatives designed to spread respect for people with intellectual disabilities.

(Player Roster Follows)

2011 Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament Field

Alabama

Susan Buter, Athlete, Age 45, Level 2

Rodney Krone, Athlete, Age 37, Level 2

Joseph Park, Athlete, Age 17, Level 2

Bob Boyle, Partner, Level 2

Kimberlee Buter, Partner, Level 2

Tom Buter, Partner, Level 2

Arizona

Kevin Hartley, Athlete, Tempe, Level 2

Steve Linderman, Partner, Scottsdale, Level 2

Justin Newham, Athlete, Mesa, Level 2

Mark Ostrand, Partner, Chandler, Level 2

Preston Hite, Athlete, Mesa, Level 3

Chris Hite, Partner, Mesa, Level 3

Danny D'Aguanno, Athlete, Queen Creek, Level 3

Tom D'Aguanno, Partner, Queen Creek, Level 3

Roger Braun, Athlete, Phoenix, Level 5

Bermuda

Paul Ray, Athlete, Age 54, Level 5

Canada

Danny Peaslee, Athlete, Age 15, Level 4

Connecticut

David Dennin, Athlete, Age 35, Trumbull, Level 5

Shannon Flannery, Athlete, Age18, Lebanon, Level 1

Jessica Foberg, Athlete, Age 31, Wethersfield, Level 2

Michael Hedrick, Athlete, Age 27, Trumbull, Level 5

Andrew McMillan, Athlete, Age 27, Trumbull, Level 1

Catherine Moreno, Athlete, Age 22, Colchester, Level 2

Shawn Reilly, Athlete, Age 20, Milford, Level 1

Jeffrey Downes, Partner, Wethersfield, Level 2

John Howard, Partner, East Hampton, Level 2

Florida

Chris Bass, Athlete, Age 22, Palatka, Level 1

Malcolm Harris-Gowdie, Athlete, Age 22, Port St. Lucie, Level 1

Jonathon Farris, Athlete, Age 20, Tallahassee, Level 2

Morgan Blanks, Athlete, Age 20, Monticello, Level 2

David Mallis, Athlete, Age 41, Miami, Level 2

Frank Vernoia, Athlete, Age 19, Port St. Lucie, Level 4

Matthew Ross, Athlete, Age 19, Zephyrhills, Level 5

Tyler Whitehurst, Athlete, Age 20, Palm Harbor, Level 5

Dean Farris, Partner, Tallahassee, Level 2

Greg Blanks, Partner, Montiello, Level 2

Anthony Merlino, Partner, Miami, Level 2

Illinois

Casey Duchon, Athlete, Age 28, Chicago, Level 4

Daniel Gremo, Athlete, Age 24, Chicago, Level 1

Peter Hertl, Athlete, Age 19, Chicago, Level 4

Vanessa Jimenez, Athlete, Age 26, Chicago, Level 1

Paul Kozora, Athlete, Age 36, Oak Lawn, Level 4

Timothy Mabbott, Athlete, Age 26, Chicago, Level 1

Charles McDaniels, Athlete, Age 47, Chicago, Level 4

Patrick Murphy, Athlete, Age 42, Oak Lawn, Level 4

Andrew Peters, Athlete, Age 36, Palos Park, Level 1

Louisana

Dick Lawson, Athlete, Age 49, Minden, Level 5

Josh Parks, Athlete, Age 18, Benton, Level 3

Billy Parks, Partner, Benton, Level 3

Maryland

Jennifer Andres, Athlete, Age 27, Ellicott City, Level 2

Matthew Bauer, Athlete, Age 30, Clinton, Level 1

Tyler Carr, Athlete, Age 30, Columbia, Level 1

James Cromwell, Athlete, Age 20, Rockville, Level 1

Samuel Emmerling, Athlete, Age 23, Level 1

William Ferguson, Athlete, Age 15, Reisterstown, Level 1

Jim Hawkins, Athlete, Age 35, Mechanicsville, Level 3

Deangelo Johnson, Athlete, Age 24, Baltimore, Level 3

Todd McLaughlin, Athlete, Age 28, Owings Mill, Level 4

Pence Potter, Athlete, Age 28, Severna Park, Level 4

James Rill, Athlete, Age 17, Darnestown, Level 2

Andy Robillard, Athlete, Age 25, Middletown, Level 2

Aidan Saienni, Athlete, Age 14, Baltimore, Level 1

Alex Shapiro, Athlete, Age 20, Washington, DC, Level 1

Shana Sharar, Athlete, Age 42, Level 3

Phillip Shepard, Athlete, Age 26, Mt. Airy, Level 1

Robert Strunge, Athlete, Age 33, Ellicott City, Level 5

Todd Valway, Athlete, Age 26, Finksburg, Level 5

Frederick Andres, Partner, Ellicott City, Level 2

William Lowe, Partner, Hollywood, Level 3

Fred Patterson, Partner, Level 3

James Rill, Partner, Rockville, Level 2

Craig Robillard, Partner, Middletown, Level 2

Dale Umholtz, Partner, Level 3

Massachusetts

Jeffrey Bramley, Athlete, Age 67, Level 5

Michael Ciociolo, Athlete, Age 26, Holden, Level 3

William Clemens, Athlete, Age 28, Danvers, Level 2

Corey O'Keefe, Athlete, Age 27, Danvers, Level 4

Dennis Wilson, Athlete, Age 32, Peabody, Level 2

James Ciociolo, Partner, Holden, Level 3

William Clemens, Partner, Danvers, Level 2

John Sheehy, Partner, Malden, Level 2

Minnesota

Aimee Anwiler, Athlete, Age 26, Rochester, Level 4

Jonas Chartier, Athlete, Age 17, Cold Spring, Level 2

Matthew Copler, Athlete, Age 22, Byron, Level 4

Nate Jockisch, Athlete, Age 21, Brooklyn Park, Level 4

Cody Johnson, Athlete, Age 16, Cold Spring, Level 2

Daniel Powers, Athlete, Age 23, St. Paul, Level 2

Nicholas Urban, Athlete. Age 23, White Bear Lake, Level 4

Chaz Weaver, Athlete, Age 19, Anoka, Level 4

Thomas Chartier, Partner, Cold Spring, Level 2

Thomas Hormann, Partner, Richmond, Level 2

Daniel Powers, Partner, Maplewood, Level 2

Mississippi

Danny Dasis, Athlete, Age 30, Butler, Alabama, Level 4

Missouri

Kenneth Lederich, Athlete, Age 28, St. Louis, Level 2

Andrew Martinez, Athlete, Age 27, Kansas City, Level 2

Brian Williams, Athlete, Age 42, Florissant, Level

Mike Burke, Partner, Fenton, Level 2

Richard Lederich, Partner, Des Peres, Level 2

Michael Martinez, Partner, Kansas City, Level 2

Montana

Stacey Johnston, Athlete, Age 44, Chester, Level 5

(more)

Nebraska

Timothy Andrews, Athlete, Age 36, Bellevue, Level 2

Erin Morgan, Athlete, Age 39, Bellevue, Level 2

Curtis Rogers, Athlete , Age 18, West Point, Level 2

Barb Rolf, Partner, Level 2

Larry Andrews, Partner, Bellevue, Level 2

Sandra Morgan, Partner, Bellevue, Level 2

North Carolina

Phillip Buzzell, Athlete, Age 23, Elon College, Level 1

Allen Harrelson, Athlete, Age 39, Gibsonville, Level 3

Joshua Jackson, Athlete, Age 15, High Point, Level 1

Charlton Martin, Athlete, Age 31, Asheboro, Level 5

Cody Miller, Athlete, Age 17, Hillsborough, Level 4

Dale Mitchell, Athlete, Age 21, Pilot Mountain, Level 2

Chris Oehler, Athlete, Age 42, Raleigh, Level 4

Jay Pestik, Athlete, Age 19, Reidsville, Level 2

Michael Buzzell, Partner, Haw River, Level 3

Cathy Taylor, Partner, Reidsville, Level 2

Charles Wilkes, Partner, Mount Airy, Level 2

Pennsylvania

Michael Barton, Athlete, Age 39, Sharon Hills, Level 2

Chuck Barton, Partner, West Chester, Level 2

South Carolina

George Caswell, Athlete, Age 59, Level 5

Anthony Gadsden, Athlete, Age 27, Level 3

James McKenney, Athlete, Age 19, Level 2

Jacob Miller, Athlete, Age 20, Level 2

Joe Nelson, Athlete, Age 22, Cleveland, Level 5

Scott Rohrer, Athlete, Age 22, Level 3

Adam Scroggins, Athlete, Age 26, Conway, Level 2

Van Abbott, Partner, Level 2

Matt Gleatton, Partner, Level 3

Mike Purvis, Partner, York, Level 2

Jeff Rohrer, Partner, York, Level 3

Bill Smalley, Partner, Level 2

Tennessee

Tripp Abney, Athlete, Age 22, Franklin, Level 3

Heather Chance, Athlete. Age 33, Sevierville, Level 3

Eric Davis, Athlete, Age 27, Murfreesboro, Level 2

Marquise Donnell, Athlete, Age 15, Lebanon, Level 2

Geoffrey Lindsey, Athlete, Age 18, Lebanon , Level 3

Jon Samples, Athlete, Age 19, Mt. Juliet, Level 3

Tennessee (cont’d)

Andrew Williams, Athlete, Age 21, Hixson, Level 5

Joey Abney, Partner, Franklin, Level 3

Dave Davis, Partner, Murfreesboro, Level 2

Jennifer Elliott, Partner, Level 2

Michael Green, Partner, Sevierville, Level 3

Mark Samples, Partner, Mt. Juliet, Level 3

Robert Turner, Partner, Level 3

Texas

Stacey Brown, Athlete, Age 29, Spring, Level 2

Kyle Butts, Athlete, Age 22, San Antonio, Level 5

Elizabeth Crook, Athlete, Age 21, Houston, Level 2

Marcus Gary, Athlete, Age 23, Houston, Level 3

Blaine Hardin, Athlete, Age 25, McKinney, Level 3

Kevin Harrell, Athlete, Age 35, Houston, Level 4

Chris Holmes, Athlete, Age 24, The Woodlands, Level 5

Erika Johnson, Athlete, Age 24, Murphy, Level 4

Michael Lyons, Athlete, 40, Level 2

Cole Wells, Athlete, Age 20, Wylie, Level 1

Bill Brown, Partner, Spring, Level 2

Alex Crook, Partner, Age 17, Houston, Level 2

Bill Crook, Partner, Houston, Level 3

Dean Morris, Partner, McKinney, Level 3

Martha Smith, Partner, Level 2

Vermont

Jake Alexopoulos, Athlete, Age 22, Level 5

Virginia

Grace Braxton, Athlete, Age 39, Fredericksburg, Level 5

Alyssa Burdick, Athlete, Age 16, Level 1

Jesse Chung, Athlete, Age 17, Level 1

Chris Clark, Athlete, Age 34, Chesepeake, Level 2

David Curtin, Athlete, Age 25, Springfield, Level 5

Matthew Doyle, Athlete, Age 21, Level 1

Jeff Emery, Athlete, Age 31, Oak Hill, Level 5

Ian Frazier, Athlete, Age 33, Level 3

Andrew Hines, Athlete, Age 21, Spotsylvania, Level 1

Laurie Kehoe, Athlete, Age 22, Arlington, Level 1

Craig Marek, Athlete, Age 45, Colonial Heights, Level 2

Heather Savage, Athlete, Age 36, Level 1

Tim Zeilinski, Athlete, Age 31, Level 2

Rick Clark, Partner, Chesepeake, Level 2

Tommy Marek, Partner, Colonial Heights, Level 2

John Rogers, Partner, Level 3

Frank Zielinski, Partner, Level 2

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2011 Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Media Contacts:

Amie Dugan, Special Olympics, 407- 402-8599, amiedugan@

Sherry Major, The PGA of America, 305-318-5208 or sherrymajor@

Pete Kowalski, USGA, 908-234-2300 or pkowalksi@

Laura Hill, PGA TOUR, 904-285-3700 or laura.hill@

The PGA of America, 100 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

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