TROON CHALLENGE DELIVERS ANOTHER SEASON OF EXCITING COMPETITION FOR AMATEUR GOLFERS
Champions Crowned Among Record-Setting Field after National Finals at Troon North Golf Club
Scottsdale, Ariz. – After more than 12 weeks of hard-fought competition contested on 35 courses, spanning 16 states and drawing more than 1,200 amateur golfers, the 2015 Troon Challenge recently culminated with an exciting National Finals Event held at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Troon Challenge is a series of amateur golf tournaments hosting two-person, modified best-ball (shamble) competitions at world-class Troon facilities across the United States. Beginning in April, two-player teams competed in local qualifying events with a record field of 54 teams eventually vying for the championship at Troon North August 22-23, 2015.
“The 2015 Troon Challenge delivered yet another exciting season of competition hosted at many of our finest golf facilities,” said Kris Strauss, vice president, sales & marketing, Troon. “We appreciate the players who competed in the national finals and regional events, all of whom represent Troon’s most engaged and dedicated customers. We also thank our sponsors, whose support helped make this the best Troon Challenge series yet. The Troon Challenge is important element of our “Play Troon” programming, designed to grow the game of golf by offering players a diverse range of playing options, and we look forward to seeing it grow even larger in 2016.”
In the gross division of the Troon Challenge National Finals, the team of Steve Blackford and Joseph Fox, who qualified for the finals at Poston Butte Golf Club in Florence, Ariz., got off to a great start by shooting 63 on the Pinnacle course. The eight-under par round was good enough for a one-stroke lead with a total of six other teams within three shots of the lead. Teams arrived for round two on Sunday knowing that to win they would need to post a great number on the Monument course. Many teams posted rounds in the 60s, but it was not enough to catch Blackford & Fox. Their second round score of 64 separated them from the field by three strokes, and they were crowned the 2015 Troon Challenge National Champions of the gross division. This was their second time hoisting the trophy, with a win back in 2009.
In the net division of the Troon Challenge National Finals, the team of Barbara Rund and Sean Rund, who qualified at The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif., shot a spectacular 59 in round one, giving them a one stroke lead over David Green and Kyle Tallman, who qualified at Yocha Dehe Golf Club in Brooks, Calif. Sunday proved to be no different as both teams battled until the end. Both posting 61 on the Pinnacle course, Team Rund held on for a one-stroke victory over Green and Tallman. Their two-day total of 120 tied the lowest score ever recorded in the Troon Challenge National Finals.
2015 Troon Challenge National Finals Results
Gross Division
1st – Steve Blackford & Joseph Fox, Poston Butte Golf Club: 63-64 = 127
*2nd – Erin O’Hara & Marty McDonald, Centennial Golf Club: 65-65 = 130
*3rd – Zack Sims & Stephen Santora, Diablo Grande Golf & Country Club: 65-65 = 130
Net Division
1st – Barbara Rund & Sean Rund, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa: 59-61 = 120
2nd – David Green & Kyle Tallman, Yocha Dehe Golf Club: 60-61 = 121
3rd – Rich Estep & Jason Walker, Yocha Dehe Golf Club: 65-61 = 126
Sponsor Division (Net Scoring)
1st – David Shaffer & Tim Geesey, Imperial Headwear: 68-62 = 130
2nd – Derek Travers & Rich Calderon, Callaway: 65-68 = 133
*3rd – Casey Strunk & Lee Gault, Imperial Headwear: 65-69 = 134
*- Scorecard playoff
The 2015 Troon Challenge is presented by Callaway Golf, along with supporting partners that include Imperial Headwear (featured as the events official headwear sponsor), TRUE Linkswear, Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, THINQ Golf, MobiCoach, Pepsi<, American Hole ‘n One , Infiniti of Scottsdale, EXOS and Zacapa Rum.
For more information on the 2015 Troon Challenge presented by Callaway Golf, visit www.TroonChallenge.com
or search #TroonChallenge15.
Troon Challenge Official Sponsor Details
Callaway Golf: Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) creates products designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories, under the Callaway Golf and Odyssey brands worldwide. For more information, visit www.callawaygolf.com.
Imperial Headwear: Imperial Headwear is the leading manufacturer and marketer of premium quality headwear for the golf market. Imperial is committed to style, functionality and perfection in fit and comfort. For more information, visit www.imperialsports.com
.
TRUE linkswear: TRUE linkswear created the first golf shoe built on a barefoot platform, allowing the golfer to truly “Feel the Course” and enabling them to walk 36 holes right out of the box in total comfort. TRUE products are available at many national retailers. For more information, visit www.truelinkswear.com.
Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau: Welcome to the world’s finest golf destination. It’s a bold claim, but we’ve got the numbers to back it up. Start with nearly 200 Scottsdale-area golf courses and 330 plus days of sunshine annually. Add in local residents like Aaron Baddeley, Brandel Chamblee and Tom Lehman. And when you top it off with an enviable collection of golf lifestyle pursuits, Scottsdale’s virtues are as clear as the sky on a typical day. For more information, visit www.experiencescottsdale.com.
THINQ Golf: THINQ Golf came to fruition through the collaboration of sports psychologists, neuroscientists, and PGA/LPGA professionals who were searching for tools that could be used to improve the mental skills responsible for on-course performance. THINQ Golf’s online and app-based suite of mental training games is a fun and interactive way for golfers of all ages and skill levels to better their scores. For more information, visit www.thinqgolf.com.
MobiCoach: Mobicoach is the worlds first live, remote coaching service that brings sports instructors and students together via a mobile-to-mobile learning experience. With the Mobicoach service, golfers and fitness enthusiasts can get access to world-class coaching in as little as 15 minutes – anytime, anywhere. For more information, visit www.mobicoach.com.
Pepsi: Pepsi has been bringing fun and refreshment to consumers for over 100 years. From its humble beginnings over a century ago, Pepsi-Cola has grown to become one of the best known, most loved products throughout the world. For more information, visit www.pepsiusa.com.
Infiniti of Scottsdale: Arizona drivers visit Infiniti of Scottsdale over other Phoenix-area Infiniti dealers because they know they’ll receive red-carpet treatment from the time they arrive in the showroom. Infiniti of Scottsdale has a proud tradition of offering the finest Infiniti sales and service available and is conveniently located in North Scottsdale. For more information, visit www.infinitiofscottsdale.com.
Zacapa Rum: Zacapa Rum is regarded as one of the finest in the world. Aged and blended in the ‘House Above the Clouds’, 2300m above sea level, the cool mountain air slows aging, allowing Zacapa time to rest and develop character. Zacapa uses a unique Sistema Solera process, based on a centuries-old Spanish way of aging sherries, to blend rums of different ages in a sequence of barrels which previously held American whiskies, sweet sherries and fine Pedro Ximenez wines. Refined by craftsmanship and devotion, the whole process is artfully overseen by Master Blender Lorena Vasquez. For more information, visit www.zacaparum.com.
EXOS: EXOS is pioneering human performance. Founded in 1999 to maximize the potential of athletes, EXOS (formerly named Athletes’ Performance) has grown to become a leader in proactive health and performance, trusted by elite athletes, the military, and innovative companies worldwide. The new EXOS Golf Experience Powered by Troon is tailored for amateur golfers looking to improve their game and their health. This immersive program takes an in-depth look at nutrition, movement, flexibility, and risk for injury, and also includes fully integrated TrackMan club data measurements and 3D body-motion-capture evaluations. More on the EXOS Golf Experience Powered by Troon.
American Hole ‘n One: American Hole ‘n One began in 1986 and is the largest provider of hole in one coverage in the world. With world-class customer service and a state of the art production facility, American Hole ‘n One is uniquely positioned to provide the coverage needed along with the supporting marketing materials that are vital to any successful promotion. For more information, visit www.ahno.net.
About Troon North Golf Club
Troon North Golf Club stands as a hallmark of the Scottsdale desert golf experience with two 18-hole courses stretching through the natural ravines and foothills in the shadows of Pinnacle Peak. Giant granite boulders lie strewn across the rugged landscape of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, where Troon North Golf Club combines iconic golf with the visual sensation of desert landscape, providing a standard unmatched in the American Southwest. For more information, visit www.troonnorthgolf.com.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company, with more than 250 golf courses in its portfolio. Also specializing in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues, the company oversees operations at Troon Golf®, Honours Golf and Troon Privé properties located in 37 states and 27 countries Additionally, there are 53 Troon affiliated properties featuring 75 courses that have been recipients of a “Top 100” ranking by national and international publications. Troon properties include Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii; Sewailo Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz.; Manchester Country Club, Bedford, N.H.; The Grove, London, England; and Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, El Jadida, Morocco.
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Media contacts:
Brett Brooks
Troon
480.477.0480
bbrooks@troongolf.com