NMA Pete Dye Classic Organizers Anticipate Larger Crowd

NMA Pete Dye Classic Organizers Anticipate Larger Crowd

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va., June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic announced today that they anticipate an even larger crowd than that of the inaugural event last year. In 2004, during the tournament's first year, the tournament drew more than 30,000 spectators and more than 400 volunteers throughout the four days of tournament play.

Officials attribute the surge in interest and online pre-event ticketing for the 2005 event to the caliber of players slated to appear in the tournament and the schedule of events surrounding the tournament's professional golf play.

"Response to the 2005 NMA Pete Dye Classic has been incredible," said Tim McNeely, Tournament Director for the NMA Pete Dye Classic. "We streamlined our outreach process by putting all ticket sales and volunteer recruitment efforts on our website, http://www.petedyeclassic.com/, and the interest for the 2005 installment of this tournament has been tremendous. We anticipate the next week to be very busy with additional volunteer recruitment and ticket sales."

Among the players confirmed to compete is Jason Gore, the widely unknown player prior to his outstanding showing in the recent U.S. Open. Golf fans everywhere watched the U.S. Open with interest last weekend as Gore was tied for second going into the final round of championship play.

Also confirmed are tournament exemption players and up-and-comers Casey Whittenberg and Ricky Barnes. Earlier this month, West Virginia-based golf professionals Jonathan Clark of the Sleepy Hollow Golf Club and Brad Westfall of the Tygart Lake Golf Course qualified for tournament play in the Tri-State PGA Section Qualifier.

"It is great to see both golf fans and players appreciate the status, importance and prominence of this terrific professional golf event," McNeely said as he noted that Gore turned down an exemption invitation for the PGA Tour John Deere Classic and that Clark and Westfall had previously received sponsors exemption invitations for the 2004 tournament.

Each year, the Top 20 players on the earnings list for the Nationwide Tour automatically receive their PGA TOUR card for the following year. The National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic offers the third highest purse on the Nationwide Tour, making it an important stop for all the top players.

McNeely noted that great golfers, exciting professional tournament play and a terrific schedule of events may explain the appeal of the NMA Pete Dye Classic to golf aficionados and novices alike.

For the 2005 tournament, organizers have announced the inaugural Pete Dye Classic Concert. The concert will feature Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel, and include local favorite Vern's Pot o' Chili as the opening act. The concert will be held at Simpson Meadows which is adjacent to the Pete Dye Golf Club on Meadowbrook Road. Admission to the event is granted to any individual that has a tournament grounds pass. As soon as the last putt drops on Friday, July 8, the gates to the concert will open.

"Following the 2004 tournament, we wanted to find a way to offer a festive atmosphere that everyone would enjoy," McNeely said. "The showcase concert featuring Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel has generated interest from individuals who normally would not be interested in attending a professional golf event."

The National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic is slated for its second year of tournament play at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.Va., July 4-10, 2005. The Pete Dye Golf Club is built on a reclaimed coal mine and offers a unique glimpse of West Virginia's rich golf and coal histories. The National Mining Association proudly welcomes its sponsoring partners Arch Coal, CONSOL Energy and Foundation Coal.

For more information, ticket purchase or to volunteer, log onto http://www.petedyeclassic.com/.

For more information: Aly Goodwin Gregg 304.284.5003

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Source: National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic

CONTACT: Aly Goodwin Gregg, +1-304-284-5003, for National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic

Web site: http://www.petedyeclassic.com/

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