Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn

 
 
GOLF CHANNEL Returns to Broadcast 2007 Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn Presented by Kia Motors
 
April 24, 2007

March 26, 2007 


CONOVER, NC - The Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn Presented by Kia Motors announced today that the GOLF CHANNEL, the exclusive cable television home of the Champions Tour through 2008, will return to provide televised coverage of the 2007 tournament.  Coverage will consist of tape-delayed, replay, and promotional programming for the event, which will be held September 10 - 16, 2007 at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, N.C.

In 2006, the GOLF CHANNEL, which is available in more than 90 million homes worldwide, televised 17.5 hours of live play-by-play and replay coverage of the tournament.  The network also featured its signature "on the couch" player interview segments with host Dave Marr live from tournament grounds.

Marr returns to the tournament as host this year, but he'll trade the couch for the announcer booth where he'll provide tournament play-by-play.  The broadcast team joining Marr at the event includes analyst Frank Nobilo, walker Donna Caponi-Byrnes and walker John Mahaffey.  Mahaffey has become a tournament mainstay, as he played in the event in 2003-2005 and reported on the event last year for the GOLF CHANNEL. The "on the couch" interviewer has yet to be announced.

About the GOLF CHANNEL
The GOLF CHANNEL features more live golf coverage than any other network - an extensive blend of golf competition from around the world - as well as news, instruction and original productions. In addition to being the exclusive television home of the Nationwide Tour, European Tour and Canadian Tour, the GOLF CHANNEL is the exclusive cable home of the Champions Tour and televises other competitions from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, USGA, PGA of America, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour of Southern Africa.  The network reaches more than 90 million homes worldwide and features original programming such as Golf Central, Sprint Post Game, Academy Live, Playing Lessons from the Pros, GOLF CHANNEL Academy, What's in the Bag?, and Golf With Style! Other programming highlights include celebrity interviews, video tours of the world's great courses, golf classics and other golf specials and documentaries. For more information regarding the GOLF CHANNEL, visit www.golfchannel.com.

About the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn Presented by Kia Motors
The Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn Presented by Kia Motors features a week's worth of special events and attractions including exhibitions, pro-ams and three days of Champions Tour competition among some of golf's greatest legends.  The tournament returns to Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover September 10-16, 2007.  Operated by a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, the tournament annually donates all net proceeds to charities throughout the Catawba Valley area.  Tournament partners include Anheuser-Busch, BB&T, Bank of America, Charter Communications, CommScope, Corning Cable Systems, Draka-Comteq, Duke Energy, GDS, Greater Hickory Metro, Hickory Daily Record, Hickory Furniture Mart, Hickory Printing Group, IFH, Kia Motors America, NorthStar Financial Group, Pepsi, EMBARQ, Wachovia and Zenith Global Logistics Solutions.  For more information, call (828) 459-4000, visit www.greaterhickoryclassic.com or stop by the tournament office at Rock Barn Golf & Spa.

About Rock Barn Golf & Spa
Located in Conover, North Carolina, Rock Barn Golf & Spa is consistently recognized as one of the best semi-private golf membership clubs in the region.  The facility features two championship-caliber 18-hole golf courses, including the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course that was named the best new course in North Carolina by North Carolina Magazine and rated America's fourth best upscale public course by Golf Digest.  Rock Barn Golf & Spa also offers a state-of-the-art luxury spa; a professional tennis center; an equestrian center; dining and event facilities; and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.  Rock Barn Realty, LLC, actively develops custom home and townhouse real estate within its gated community.  For more information, call (828) 459-1125 or visit www.rockbarn.com.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America - the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea - offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.kiamedia.com.

...GHC 07-05...