Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic

How many birdies do you think the 78 golfers at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic will make during their three rounds of golf (April 30-May 2) at Fallen Oak?

Join the fun. Make a guess and create a fundraising program for your non-profit organization at the same time. Just register your (501c3) organization for the "Birdies for Charity" online at www.msgulfresortclassic.com. If your organization is among the biggest fundraisers, you'll also be eligible to receive "bonus bucks" from the tournament for your group.

The organization will receive 100 percent of all donations it collects. All administrative costs will be handled by the tournament administration. The more pledges your organization obtains, the more your group will receive at the end of the tournament. Pledges can be a flat dollar amount or a few cents for each birdie made during the three rounds of competitive play.

Additionally, each individual contributor will have chance to win a "Grand Prize" by correctly guessing the exact number of birdies made during the tournament.

"'Birdies for Charity' is a great way to combine the excitement of this new tournament with the opportunity for local groups to use the event as a no-risk fundraiser for themselves," said Steve Nieman, tournament director.

"Birdies for Charity" has been implemented successfully at many tournaments across the country for the past several years. For example, more than $200,000 was raised last year for individual local organizations at the Regions Charity Classic in Birmingham, Ala., and more than $1 million was raised in 2009 at the John Deere Classic in Illinois.

The MGRC is one of 26 official events on the Champions Tour for 2010, and favorites Hal Sutton, Loren Roberts, Bernhard Langer, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, Jay Haas, Fuzzy Zoeller and Fred Funk are expected to compete for the $1.6 million purse and a $240,000 winner's share. The tournament will be broadcast for 17 1/2 hours by the Golf Channel.

For more information on "Birdies for Charity," contact Melanie Valekis at (205) 262-2830, or by e-mail at melanie@brunoeventteam.com.

About the Champions Tour
Collectively, the Champions Tour has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game with 16 World Golf Hall of Fame members actively competing in its events and numerous other major championship winners among its members. The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour will conduct 26 official Charles Schwab Cup events in 2010, offering $51.5 million in official prize money, with the average tournament purse of $1.98 million. The Champions Tour also generates significant monies for charity.

About the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
This Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic is one of three new tournaments on the Champions Tour for 2010. It will be played April 28-May 2 at Fallen Oak. The tournament is uniquely funded by a dozen title sponsors, who see this event as an ideal way to showcase the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The tournament will be administered through the MGRC Foundation, Inc. The tournament will benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Inc.

About Bruno Event Team
Bruno Event Team is experienced in all facets of event management, employing a year-round staff of 60+ employees in eight offices around the country.  Bruno Event Team services each client with expertise in strategic planning, marketing, advertising, public and media relations, ticket and merchandise sales, sponsor relations, hospitality consulting, event operations, event financial planning/accounting and volunteer coordination.

Contact:
Craig Smith
Director, Media and Promotions
Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
csmith@brunoeventteam.com
228-896-6365 office
228-236-7709 cell