Nationwide Tour Players Cup

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Gov. Bob Wise and the PGA TOUR today announced that West Virginia will host a new $600,000 Nationwide Tour event at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Harrison County from July 12-18, 2004.

The Pete Dye West Virginia Classic, a three-year event, will receive four days of coverage on The Golf Channel, the exclusive broadcast partner of the Nationwide Tour.

"This outstanding opportunity boosts West Virginia's already impressive status as a tourist destination even higher," said Wise. "This high-quality event will draw prestige and people to the state and its economy."

The Nationwide Tour is owned and operated by the PGA TOUR while Nationwide, one of the world's largest insurance and financial services providers, is the umbrella sponsor of the Tour.

Since its inception in 1990, Nationwide Tour alums have won 137 PGA TOUR titles, including 10 major championships. Among the past participants are current U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk and PGA champion Shaun Micheel, along with other TOUR stars such as Ernie Els, David Toms, Chad Campbell, David Duval, Tom Lehman and John Daly.

"We are very proud of the growth experienced by this Tour and particularly pleased with the role charity plays in our events," said Bill Calfee, chief of operations for the Nationwide Tour. "We are sure local fans will enjoy the world-class competition on this Tour, and our players will enjoy the outstanding and very challenging Pete Dye Golf Club."

The tournament also will showcase and honor Pete Dye, known to many as one of the world's greatest golf course architects. The 250-acre Pete Dye Golf Club course will play 7,166 yards and is surrounded by a buffer of 250 undeveloped acres to protect the environment.

Built on a reclaimed mining site, the course provides a historic perspective. West Virginia's vast natural resources -- coal, oil and natural gas -- were once its cornerstone industries. Today, tourism and outdoor recreation have grown in importance as well.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the Pete Dye Golf Club and for the state of West Virginia. I am honored by your kind attention to my family and me," Dye said. "The beauty of this golf course is derived from its harmony with the natural environment. It will provide TOUR players with a sense of gentility so often associated with the game as well as a renewed feeling of competitive spirit. Providing us this national exposure will allow people all over the world to recognize the attributes of West Virginia."

The Pete Dye Golf Club, ranked by Golf Week magazine among the top-five courses of the modern era, officially opened in 1995.

The 24,000-square-foot clubhouse offers spectacular views of the course complete with private meeting and dining experiences. Members and guests staying overnight can choose from a variety of well-appointed lodges and townhouses, all within walking distance of the clubhouse.

"The golf event will produce significant economic and intangible benefits for the state of West Virginia," said Rick Horrow, president of Horrow Sports Ventures/Omnicom and the strategic development consultant for West Virginia, who introduced the PGA TOUR to the state. "Governor Wise and his staff demonstrate entrepreneurial and creative vision to implement effective public/private partnerships that other states can emulate."

The Pete Dye Golf Club anchors the Pete Dye Golf and Sporting Club, which was recently designated as West Virginia's first project approved for funding through the tax increment financing method, endorsed by voters in November 2002.